i 7 1S74 


557 
W 75b 

no . 53A-C 


■ ' 


WISCONSIN 
GEOLOGICAL  AND 
NATURAL  HISTORY 
SURVEY 


BULLETIN 


Gt(KOQY  . 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/soilsurveyofdane5319whit 


5 51 

\V1-5-_b 


IStonsin  geological  and  natural  history  survey 

A.  BIRGE.  Director  W.  O.  HOTCHKISS,  State  Geologl.t 

A.  R.  WHITSON,  In  Charge,  Division  of  Soils 

OIL  SURVEY  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COLLEGE  OP  AGRICULTURE 

II.  L.  RUSSELL,  Dean 


BULLETIN  NO.  53--A 


SOIL  SERIES  NO.  20 


SOIL  SURVEY 


DANE  COUNTY 


WISCONSIN 


A.  R.  WHITSON,  W.  J.  GEIB,  and  G.  W.  CONREY 

'* y & '*C:’vvX  . . --  ' ■■  j 

OF  THE 

Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History  Survey 
AND 

ARTHUR  E.  TAYLOR 


OF  THE 


of  Agriculture 


>NDUCTED  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNITED  STATES 
EPARTMENT  OP  AGRICULTURE  BUREAU  OP  SOILS 
MILTON  WHITNEY,  CHIEF 
CURTIS  P.  MARBUT,  IN  CHARGE  SOIL  SURVEY 


>N,  WISCONSIN 
3 BY  THE  ST  A 


Return  this  book  on  or  before  the 
Latest  Date  stamped  below.  A 
charge  is  made  on  all  overdue 
books. 

University  of  Illinois  Library 


WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY 

E:  A:  BIRGE,  Director  W:  O:  HOTCHKISS,  State  Geologi.t 

A:  R:  WHITSON,  In  Charge,  Division  of  Soils 

SOIL  SURVEY  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

H.  L.  RUSSELL,  Dean 


BULLETIN  NO.  53--A 


SOIL  SERIES  NO.  20 


SOIL  SURVEY 

OF 

DANE  COUNTY 

WISCONSIN 


BY 

A.  R.  WHITSON,  W.  J.  GEIB,  and  G.  W.  CONREY 
OF  THE 

Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History  Survey 
AND 

ARTHUR  E.  TAYLOR 

OF  THE 

United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 


SURVEY  CONDUCTED  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNITED  STATES: 
DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE  BUREAU  * OF  SOILS 
MILTON  WHITNEY,  CHIEF 
CURTIS  F.  MARBUT,  IN  CHARGE  SOIL  SURVEY 


MADISON,  WISCONSIN 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  STATE 
1917 


Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History  Survey 


BOARD  OP  COMMISSIONERS 

EMANUEL  L.  PHILIPP, 

Governor  of  State. 

CHARLES  R.  VAN  HISE,  President, 

President  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin. 

CHARLES  P.  CARY,  Vice-President, 

State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

HENRY  L.  WARD,  Secretary, 

President  of  the  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences , Arts  and  Letters. 


STAFF  OF  SURVEY 

ADMINISTRATION: 

Edward  A.  Birge,  Director  and  Superintendent.  In  immediate 
charge  of  Natural  History  Division. 

William  0.  Hotchkiss,  State  Geologist.  In  immediate  charge  of 
Geology  Division. 

Lillian  M.  Veerhusen,  Clerk. 

GEOLOGY  DIVISION: 

William  O.  Hotchkiss,  In  Charge. 

T.  C.  Chamberlin,  Consulting  Geologist,  Pleistocene  Geology. 

Samuel  Weidman,  Geologist,  Areal  Geology. 

E.  F.  Bean,  Geologist,  In  Charge  of  Field  Parties. 

0.  W.  Wheelwright,  Geologist,  In  Charge  of  Field  Parties. 

R.  H.  Whitbeck,  Geologist,  Geography  of  Lower  Fox  Valley. 
Lawrence  Martin,  Geologist,  Physical  Geography. 

F.  E.  Williams,  Geologist,  Geography  and  History. 

NATURAL  HISTORY  DIVISION: 

Edwardi  A.  Birge,  In  Charge. 

Chancey  Juday,  Lake  Survey. 

H.  A.  Schuette,  Chemist. 

DIVISION  OF  SOILS: 

A.  R.  Whitson,  In  Charge. 

W.  J.  Geib,*  Editor  and  Inspector. 

G.  W.  Conrey,  Analyst,  in  charge  of  Soil  Survey  Laboratory. 

T.  J.  Dunnewald,  Field  Assistant  and  Analyst. 

Carl  Thompson,  Field  Assistant  and  Analyst. 

W.  M.  Gibbs,  Analyst  and  Field  Assistant. 

Martin  O.  Tostrud,  Field  Assistant  and  Analyst. 

* Scientist  in  Soil  Survey ; In  charge  of  field  operations  in  Wisconsin  for 
the  Bureau  of  Soils,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


561 

WTSJd 


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PAGE. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS Ill 

ILLUSTRATIONS  V 

INTRODUCTION 1 

Soil  Classification 3 

CHAPTER  I. 

General  description  of  Area 5 

Soils  8 

CHAPTER  II. 

Group  of  Heavy,  Light  Colored  Upland  Soils.  12 

Miami  silt  loam 12 

Miami  silt  loam,  deep  phase 14 

Miami  loam  19 

Fox  silt  loam 20 

Fox  loam  22 

Knox  silt  loam 23 

Knox  silt  loam,  steep  phase 26 

Boone  loam  29 


CHAPTER  III. 


Group  of  Heavy  Dark  Colored  Upland  Soils 31 

Carrington  silt  loam 31 

Carrington  silt  loam,  shallow  phase 34 

Waukesha  silt  loam 36 

Dodgeville  silt  loam v 38 

Dodgeville  silt  loam,  shallow  phase 40 


Chemical  composition  and  management  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  42 
CHAPTER  IV. 


Group  of  Fine  Sandy  Loams  and  Fine  Sands 44 

Miami  fine  sandy  loam 44 

Miami  gravelly  sandy  loam 45 

Rodman  gravelly  sandy  loam 45 

Carrington  fine  sandy  loam 46 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
AT  URBANA -CHAMPAIGN 


iv  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Group  of  Fine  Sandy  Loams  and  Fine  Sands — continued  page. 

Boone  fine  sandy  loam 46 

Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loam 46 

Fox  fine  sandy  loam - 47 

Waukesha  fine  sandy  loam 47 

Plainfield  fine  sand 48 

Genesee  fine  sand 48 

Chemical  composition  and  management 48 

CHAPTER  V. 

Group  of  Dark  Colored,  Poorly  Drained  Soils 50 

Clyde  silt  loam 50 

Clyde  loam  52 

Clyde  fine  sandy  loam 53 

Dunning  silt  loam 54 

Dunning  fine  sandy  loam 55 

Wabash  silt  loam 57 

Wabash  silt  loam,  colluvial  phase . 58 

Wabash  silt  loam,  terrace  phase 58 

Wabash  loam 61 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Group  of  Miscellaneous  Soils 63 

Rough  stony  land 63 

Madeland  63 

Meadow  63 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Group  of  Marsh  Soils 65 

Peat  65 

Muck  66 

Agricultural  value  and  development  of  marsh  soils 67 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

General  Agriculture  of  Dane  County 69 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Climate  7S 


SUMMARY. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATES  AND  FIGURES. 

PAGE. 

Plate  I.  View  of  Miami  silt  loam 16 

Plate  II.  View  of  Knox  silt  loam,  showing  typical  surface  feat- 
ures   17 

Plate  III.  View  of  Carrington  silt  loam,  showing  surface  features, 

buildings,  etc.,  typical  of  the  black  prairies  of  south- 
eastern Wisconsin 32 

Plate  IV.  View  showing  a combination  dairy  and  tobacco  farm  33 

Plate  V.  View  showing  Waukesha  silt  loam 38 

Plate  VI.  View  showing  surface  features  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  39 

Plate  VII.  View  looking  northward  from  near  Mazomanie  across 

the  valley  of  the  Wisconsin  river 46 

Plate  VIII.  View  showing  position  occupied  by  Miami  gravelly 

sandy  loam 47 

Plate  IX.  View  of  reclaimed  Peat  near  Deerfield 66 

Plate  X.  View  of  corn  growing  on  reclaimed  Peat 67 

Fig.  1.  Sketch  map  showing  location  of  area  surveyed 5 

Fig.  2.  Sketch  map  showing  average  dates  of  last  killing  frost  in 

the  spring 81 

Fig.  3.  Sketch  map  showing  average  dates  of  first  killing  frosts 

in  the  fall 81 


MAP. 

Soil  Map  of  Dane  County,  Wisconsin. 


Attached  to  hack  cover . 


INTRODUCTION. 


Before  the  greatest  success  in  agriculture  can  be  reached,  it 
is  necessary  that  the  farmer  should  have  a thorough  knowledge 
of  the  soil  upon  his  own  farm.  A soil  may  be  well  adapted  to 
one  crop,  and  poorly  adapted  to  another  crop.  Clover  will  pro- 
duce a vigorous  growth  and  profitable  yields  on  the  average  loam 
soil  which  contains  lime  and  is  in  a sweet  condition;  but  on 
a sandy  soil  which  is  sour,  or  in  an  acid  condition,  clover  will 
not  make  a satisfactory  growth.  We  may  say,  therefore,  that 
failure  is  certain  to  be  invited  when  such  important  facts  are 
disregarded,  or  overlooked.  The  degree  of  success  which  it  is 
possible  to  win  on  any  farm  is  in  direct  proportion  to  the  prac- 
tical knowledge  possessed  by  the  farmer  concerning  the  soil  and 
its  adaptation  to  crops.  A thorough  knewledge  of  the  soil  is 
as  essential  to  the  farmer  as  a knowledge  of  merchandise  and 
business  methods  is  to  the  merchant. 

The  State  of  Wisconsin,  working  in  cooperation  with  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  is  making  a careful 
study  of  soils  and  agricultural  conditions  throughout  Wisconsin, 
and  is  preparing  soil  maps  and  soil  reports  of  all  counties  in 
the  State.  A soil  map  shows  the  location  and  extent  of  the 
different  kinds  of  soil.  Tracts  of  10  acres  and  over  are  mapped, 
but  often  areas  of  even  smaller  extent  are  shown.  The 
soil  map  is  prepared  by  trained  men  who  go  over  a county 
thoroughly,  and  examine  the  soil  by  making  a sufficient  number 
of  borings  to  a depth  of  36  inches  to  keep  account  of  all  varia- 
tions. On  this  map  boundaries  between  different  soils  are 
shown  with  black  lines,  while  water  courses,  such  as  creeks,  riv- 
ers and  lakes,  are  in  blue.  The  elevation  of  various  localities  is 
indicated  with  brown  lines  which  are  drawn  through  points  of 
equal  elevation.  The  difference  in  elevation  between  points  on 
two  adjacent  lines  is  20  feet.  A report  is  also  made,  to  accom- 
pany and  explain  the  map,  and  this  is  based  upon  a careful 
study  of  the  soils  within  the  region  surveyed,  and  upon  such 


2 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


other  features  as  have  a direct  bearing  upon  the  agriculture  of 
the  area. 

It  is  the  object  of  this  survey  to  make  an  inventory  of  the 
soils  of  the  State,  and  to  be  of  practical  help  to  farmers  by  lo- 
cating and  describing  the  different  soils,  by  determining  their 
physical  character  and  chemical  composition,  and  by  offering 
suggestions  for  their  management,  based  upon  the  work  of  the 
Soil  Survey  within  the  area,  covered  in  the  report  and  upon  the 
results  of  field  tests  made  by  the  Experiment  Station. 

Soil  fertility  depends  upon  two  factors : first  upon  the  physi- 
cal characteristics  of  the  soil,  such  as  water  holding  capacity, 
work-ability,  etc.,  and  second,  upon  the  chemical  composition 
of  the  material  composing  the  soil.  The  chemical  composition 
depends  upon  the  mode  of  origin  of  the  soil,  and  the  source  of 
material  from  which  the  soil  is  derived. 

Water  holding  capacity,  and  other  physical  properties  of  soil 
depend  chiefly  upon  texture,  which  refers  to  the  size  of  the  in- 
dividual soil  grains  or  particles.  A coarse  sandy  soil,  for  ex- 
ample will  not  retain  moisture  so  long  as  a loam  soil  or  clay 
loam  because  the  finer  the  soil  grains  the  greater  will  be  the 
total  soil  grain  surface  area  to  which  moisture  may  adhere. 
Texture  is  determined  in  the  field  by  rubbing  the  soil  between 
the  thumb  and  fingers  and  with  experience*  one  soon  becomes 
expert  at  judging  the  size  of  soil  grains.  This  field  judgment 
is  verified  in  the  laboratory  by  a mechanical  analysis  which  is 
made  by  a simple  method  of  separating  soil  grains  into  different 
groups  of  which  there  are  seven.  These  are  known  as  clay, 
silt,  very  fine  sand,  fine  sand,  medium  sand,  coarse  sand,  and 
fine  gravel 

A chemical  analysis  is  also  made  of  the  soil  to  determine  the 
amounts  of  various  essential  plant-food  elements  which  are  pres- 
ent. A chemical  analysis  shows  whether  the  soil  contains  a 
large  store  of  plant  food,  or  only  a small  quantity,  and  it  indi- 
cates which  kinds  of  plant  food  will  probably  be  needed  first. 
The  amount  of  organic  matter  in  the  soil  is  also  determined,  and 
tests  are  made  to  show  conditions  relative  to  soil  acidity. 


INTRODUCTION. 


SOIL  CLASSIFICATION. 

Soils  are  grouped  according  to  texture  into  soil  classes,  a soil 
class  being  made  up  of  soils  having  the  same  texture,  through 
differing  in  other  respects.  A fine  sand,  for  example,  may  be 
light  colored  and  of  alluvial  origin,  while  another  fine  sand 
may  be  dark  in  color  and  of  residual  origin,  while  a third  fine 
sand  may  have  been  blown  into  sand  dunes  by  the  wind,  yet 
all  of  these  soils  would  belong  to  the  same  class,  because  the 
greater  proportion  of  the  soil  grains  have  the  same  size  or  tex- 
ture. Thus  we  may  have  different  kinds  of  clays,  loams,  sands, 
etc.,  and  the  class  to  which  any  soil  will  belong  depends  upon 
the  size  of  the  individual  soil  grains  of  which  it  is  composed, 
and  not  upon  its  color,  origin,  topographic  position,  or  agricul- 
tural value. 


SOIL  CLASSES 

Soils  Containing  Less  Than  20%  Silt  and  Clay 
Coarse  sand. — Over  25%  fine  gravel  and  coarse  sand,  and  less  than 
50%  of  any  other  grade  of  sand. 

Sand. — Over  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse  and  medium  sand,  and  less  than 
50%  fine  sand. 

Pine  sand. — Over  50%  fine  sand,  or  less  than  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse 
and  medium  sand. 

Very  fine  sand. — Over  50%  very  fine  sand. 

Soils  Containing  Between  20-50%  of  Silt  and  Clay 
Sandy  loam.— Over  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse  and  medium  sand. 

Fine  sandy  loam. — Over  50%  fine  sand,  or  less  than  25%  fine  gravel, 
coarse  and  medium  sand. 

Sandy  clay. — Less  than  20%  silt. 

Soils  Containing  Over  50%  of  Silt  and  Clay 
Loam. — Less  than  20%  clay,  and  over  50%  silt. 

Silt  loam. — Less  than  20%  clay,  and  over  50%  silt. 

Clay  loam. — Between  20  and  30%  clay,  and  less  than  50%  silt. 

Silty  clay  loam. — Between  20  and  30%  clay,  and  over  50%  silt. 

Clay. — Over  30%  clay. 


Soils  may  be  grouped  in  another  way.  Where  soils  are 
closely  related  through  similar  sources  of  the  material  from 
which  derived,  mode  of  origin,  topographic  position,  etc.,  so 
that  the  different  soils  constitute  merely  a graduation  in  tex- 
ture of  otherwise  uniform  material,  such  a group  is  called  a soil 
series.  It  corresponds  to  the  family  which  is  made  up  of  dif- 
ferent individuals  having  the  same  parentage.  The  Miami 
series,  for  example^,  includes  light  colored,  glacial  material 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


4 

where  the  soils  have  been  derived  largely  from  the  underly- 
ing limestone.  The  Plainfield  series  includes  light  colored  soils 
in  regions  where  no  limestone  is  present,  where  the  parent  rock 
was  largely  sandstone,  and  where  the  material  occurs  as  out- 
wash  plains  or  stream  terraces.  The  name  used  for  a soil  series 
usually  indicates  the  locality  where  that  particular  series  was 
first  recognized  and  mapped  by  the  Soil  Survey. 

By  uniting  the  name  of  the  soil  class  which  refers  to  texture, 
with  the  name  of  the  soil  series  which  refers  chiefly  to  origin, 
we  get  the  soil  type  which  is  the  basis  or  unit  of  classifying  and 
mapping  soils.  A soil  type  thus,  is  a soil  which  is  uniform 
throughout  its  entire  extent  in  texture,  color,  topographic  po- 
sition, and  other  physical  properties,  and  having  a distinct  ag- 
ricultural unity,  that  is  being  adapted  to  the  same  crops,  and 
requiring  the  same  treatment.  It  is  also  uniform  in  the  source 
of  material  from  which  it  is  derived,  and  the  mode  of  origin 
which,  taken  together,  determine  the  chemical  composition. 
Since  the  soil  type  is  the  unit  in  classifying  and  mapping  soils, 
and  the  basis  upon  which  experimental  work  should  be  con- 
ducted, every  farmer  should  be  familiar  with  the  soil  types  on 
his  farm,  and  their  leading  characteristics. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY, 
WISCONSIN 


CHAPTER  I. 

GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA. 

Dane  County  is  located  in  the  southern  part  of  Wisconsin, 
about  midway  between  the  Mississippi  River  and  Lake  Michigan. 
It  has  a total  area  of  1,202  square  miles  or  769,280  acres. 


The  topography  is  quite  variable  in  different  parts  of  the 
county.  Southwest  of  a line  running  thru  Cross  Plains  and 
Brooklyn  it  is  that  of  a plain  into  which  many  valleys  have 


6 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


been  cut  by  streams.  This  part  of  the  county  is  rolling  to 
rough  and  hilly,  and  is  marked  by  undulating  to  rolling  ridge 
lands,  steep  valley  walls  with  numerous  rock  ledges  outcropping, 
and  rather  narrow  valley  bottoms.  Military  Ridge,  lying  just 
south  of  Blue  Mounds  and  Mount  Horeb.  has  a rolling  topog- 
raphy, and  divides  the  drainage  of  this  portion  of  the  county, 
the  streams  to  the  south  flowing  into  the  Rock  River,  and  those 
to  the  north  into  .the  Wisconsin. 

In  marked  contrast  to  this  western  portion  of  the  county  is 
the  central  and  eastern  part,  where  the  hills  are  more  or  less 
rounded  and  long  steep  slopes  are  almost  lacking.  In  the  north 
and  southeastern  parts  of  the  county  there  are  broad  areas  of 
undulating  to  gently  rolling  prairies.  To  the  east  there  are 
numerous  rounded  hills  or  ridges  with  their  long  axis  usually 
lying  in  a common  direction — northeast  and  southwest.  Nar- 
row gravel  ridges  and  small  knolls  occur  through  this  portion 
of  the  county  giving  in  places  a rough,  bumpy  topography. 
Such  areas  are  of  limited  extent,  and  while  widely  scattered  are 
most  numerous  in  the  southeastern  sections.  Level  tracts  of 
land  varying  in  size  from  a few  acres  to  5 square  miles,  with  un- 
derlying gravel  beds  are  of  common  occurrence.  Between  the 
hills  and  ridges  are  often  level  marsh  areas  which  mark  the 
sight  of  former  lakes  and  ponds. 

The  natural  drainage  of  Dane  County  is  closely  related  to  the 
topography,  being  perfectly  developed  in  the  western  part 
where  there  are  many  drainage  channels,  and  imperfectly  de- 
veloped in  the  central  and  eastern  portions  where  the  drainage 
waters  have  comparatively  few  channels  for  their  outlet.  Fur- 
thermore in  the  western  part  there  are  very  few  marshes,  while 
in  the  eastern  portion  marshes  are  in  great  abundance. 

The  first  white  men  to  enter  this  general  region  were  hunters 
and  trappers,  who  reached  the  country  by  way  of  “The  Port- 
age” and  the  Wisconsin  River.  The  first  permanent  settlers 
were  lead  miners.  About  1830  homeseekers  came  in  to  take  up 
land  for  farming  purposes.  The  first  settlers  of  this  class  were 
largely  from  Illinois,  Ohio,  and  the  New  England  states.  Fol- 
lowing these  there  was  a great  influx  of  Germans  and  Nor- 
wegians, and  at  present  the  population  is  made  up  largely  of 
people  of  foreign  extraction,  including  Germans,  Norwegians, 
Irish,  English,  and  a number  of  other  nationalities.  The 
county  was  set  off  from  parts  of  Iowa  and  Milwaukee  Counties 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA.  7 

iii  1836,  but  was  not  organized  as  a separate  county  until  1839. 
The  population  of  Dane  County  is  reported  in  the  1910  census 
as  77,435,  and  is  quite  evenly  distributed. 

Madison,  the  capitol  of  the  State,  is  the  county  seat  of  Dane 
County.  Its  population  is  given  as  25,531  in  the  1910  census. 
Madison  is  a railroad  and  manufacturing  center  of  considerable 
importance.  The  University  of  Wisconsin  and  the  Agricul- 
tural Experiment  Station  are  located  here.  Stoughton,  with  a 
population  of  4,761,  is  the  second  city  in  size.  It  has  extensive 
wagon-manufacturing  interests,  and  is  the  center  of  a highly 
developed  farming  section.  Other  towns  and  villages  of  im- 
portance are  Sun  Prairie,  Mount  Horeb,  Mazomanie,  Middle- 
ton,  Marshall,  Waunakee,  De  Forest,  Belleville,  Cross  Plains, 
Dane,  Verona,  Blue  Mounds,  Morrisonville,  Windsor,  Cottage 
Grove,  Macfarland,  London,  Klevenville,  Riley,  Basco  and 
Burke. 

Dane  County  is  exceptionally  well  provided  with  transporta- 
tion facilities.  Lines  of  three  railroad  systems  serve  the  county, 
radiating  in  all  directions  from  Madison.  The  main  line  of 
the  Chicago  & Northwestern  Railway  crosses  the  county  from 
northwest  to  southeast.  From  Madison  one  branch  of  this  line 
extends  west  along  the  “Military  Ridge’’  and  another  branch 
extends  east  to  Milwaukee.  A line  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
& St.  Paul  Railway  crosses  the  county  from  east  to  west  and 
joins  the  main  line  at  Watertown,  Jefferson  County.  From 
Mazomanie  a branch  runs  north  to  Sauk  City  and  Prairie  du 
Sac.  Another  line  runs  north  from  Madison  to  Portage  and 
another  southeast  from  Madison  to  Chicago.  A branch  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  extends  from  Freeport,  111.,  to  Madison. 

The  towns  within  the  county  provide  a ready  market  for  farm 
products  and  are  shipping  points  from  which  large  quantities 
of  produce  are  sent  to  outside  markets.  Most  of  the  live  stock 
is  shipped  to  Chicago  or  Milwaukee.  The  Lake  cities  constitute 
good  markets  for  all  products  of  the  farm,  dairy,  and  garden. 

The  wagon  roads  throughout  the  county  are,  as  a whole,  in 
good  condition,  and  each  year  large  sums  are  expended  in  road 
improvement.  Through  the  assistance  of  the  State,  roads  made, 
of  crushed  rock  are  being  constructed  in  various  parts  of  the 
county.  All  parts  of  the  county  are  supplied  with  the  rural  de- 
livery of  mail  and  telephones  are  in  common  use. 


8 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


SOILS. 

Dane  County  includes  several  distinct  geological  formations, 
and  all  of  these  have  contributed  to  a greater  or  less  degree  to 
the  material  from  which  the  various  soil  types  have  been  de- 
rived. The  oldest  formation  within  the  area  is  the  Potsdam 
sandstone,  which  forms  the  surface  rock  in  the  valley  of  the 
Wisconsin  River  and  in  parts  of  the  valleys  of  tributary 
streams  in  Dane,  Berry,  and  Cross  Plains  Townships.  It  also 
forms  the  surface  rock  over  a part  of  the  Catfish  or  Yahara  Val- 
ley, but  in  this  instance  the  formation  is  represented  only  by 
the  uppermost  layers,  the  Mendota  limestone  and  Madison  sand- 
stone. 

Over  the  Madison  sandstone  is  found  the  Lower  Magnesian 
limestone,  which  forms  the  surface  rock  over  the  principal  di- 
vide between  the  Wisconsin  River  and  its  tributaries  on  the  west 
and  the  Yahara  and  Sugar  Rivers  on  the  east.  Outcrops  of 
this  rock  occur  frequently  along  the  valley  walls  of  these  streams 
and  their  tributaries.  It  is  also  the  surface  rock  over  most  of 
the  eastern  half  of  the  county. 

Immediately  over  the  Lower  Magnesian  limestone  is  the  St. 
Peters  sandstone,  which  outcrops  frequently  along  the  steep 
valley  walls  throughout  the  western  and  southwestern  sections 
of  the  county,  and  also  occurs  in  scattered  areas  in  the  eastern 
part. 

The  Trenton  and  Galena  limestone  constitute  the  surface 
rock  in  the  elevated  ridges  between  Blue  Mounds  and  Mount 
Horeb,  and  south  to  the  Green  County  line. 

A large  part  of  the  county  hat!  been  modified  by  the  action  of 
moving  ice — the  glacier — which  formerly  covered  a large  por- 
tion of  Wisconsin  along  with  nearly  all  of  northeastern  North 
America.  In  moving  over  the  country  the  sheet  of  ice  ground 
down  hill  tops,  filled  in  the  valleys  and  mixed  much  ground  up 
rock  with  the  original  soil.  As  the  ice  melted  vast  quantities 
of  sand,  clay  and  gravel  were  dropped  down,  and  streams 
formed  by  the  melting  ice  carried  immense  quantities  of  sand 
and  gravel  and  formed  broad  flood  or  outwash  plains.  Some 
of  the  material  carried  along  by  the  ice  was  brought  for  long 
distances,  and  in  this  way  boulders  unlike  the  local  rocks  were 
brought  in.  The  material  deposited  by  the  ice  is  often  called 
till  or  drift.  In  Dane  County  the  area  which  has  been  glaciated 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA. 


9 


may  be  roughly  separated  from  that  which  was  not  glaciated — 
the  Driftless  area — by  a line  extending  from  the  northwestern 
corner  of  the  county  through  Cross  Plains  and  Yerona  to  a 
point  1^2  miles  east  of  Bellville.  The  glaciated  region  lies  to 
the  east  of  this  line.  Within  a triangle,  with  the  towns  of  Ve- 
rona, Belleville  and  Brooklyn  at  the  angles  there  is  an  area 
which  has  been  covered  by  the  pre-Wisconsin  or  earlier  stage  of 
glaciation.  This  area  has  more  of  the  appearance  of  an  ungla- 
ciated or  driftless  region  rather  than  a glaciated  one.  The 
presence  of  scattered  boulders  and  gravel  which  are  not  of  the 
same  kind  of  rock  as  that  underlying  this  section  is  about  the 
only  sign  that  the  glacial  ice  covered  this  portion  of  the  county. 
The  remainder  of  the  glaciated  portion  of  the  county  was  cov- 
ered by  the  late  Wisconsin  ice  sheet,  the  last  invasion  of  the  ice. 
Many  of  the  soils  of  the  county  have  been  derived  from  the 
glacial  deposits. 

The  soils  of  Dane  County  have  been  grouped  into  13  series 
and  31  types,  including  Rough  stony  land,  Madeland,  Peat, 
Muck,  and  Meadow.* 

The  Miami  series  is  one  of  the  most  important,  both  in  extent 
and  agricultural  value.  It  includes  all  the  light-colored  for- 
ested upland  where  the  soils  have  been  derived  from  unstratified 
glacial  limestone  till. 

The  Carrington  series  is  also  important  in  this  county.  The 
Miami  and  Carrington  series  include  a large  part  of  the  best 
agricultural  land  in  Dane  County.  The  Carrington  series  com- 
prises all  the  dark-colored  prairie  upland  soils  which  are  derived 
from  the  weathering  of  unassorted  glacial  limestone  till. 

The  light-colored,  waterlaid,  forested  soils  of  the  glaciated 
limestone  region  are  classed  with  the  Fox  series.  The  material 
has  been  very  largely  carried  out  by  streams  formed  by  the  melt- 
ing of  the  glacial  ice  and  deposited  in  level  stream  terraces  and 
outwash  plains. 

The  Plainfield  series  includes  glacial  or  terrace  soils  which  do 
not  contain  lime — are  not  calcareous.  Although  in  this  county 
much  of  the  material  originally  came  from  a limestone  region, 
through  its  transportation  by  moving  water  most  of  the  lime  has 
been  removed. 

*The  names  of  the  various  soil  types  used  in  this  report  are  not  in 
all  cases  the  same  as  the  names  used  in  the  original  soil  report  pub- 
lished by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Sails.  The  following  table  in- 
dicates the  changes  which  have  been  made. 


10 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


The  Waukesha  series  includes  dark-colored  prairie  or  semi- 
prairie soils  which  have  been  derived  from  reworked  glacial 
material  and  deposited  in  the  form  of  glacial  outwash  plains 
and  stream  or  lake  terraces. 

The  Knox  series  includes  the  light-colored  forested  upland 
soils  of  the  unglaciated  portion  of  the  county,  where  the  soil 
has  been  largely  formed  thru  the  wearing  down  of  limestone  by 
the  action  of  water,  in  dissolving  out  the  more  soluble  portions 
of  the  rock,  by  the  frost,  and  other  processes  forming  residual 
soils.  Portions  of  the  soil  of  this  series  are  extremely  silty  or 
loessial  in  nature  and  probably  are  of  wind  blown  origin.  This 
is  the  most  extensive  and  important  series  in  the  unglaciated — 
the  driftless — section  of  the  county. 

The  Dodgeville  series  includes  the  dark-colored  upland 
prairie  soils  of  the  unglaciated  portion  of  the  county,  where 
the  material  probably  is  partly  loessial  and  partly  residual 
from  limestone,  which  occurs  at  a depth  of  2 to  10  feet.  The 
soils  of  this  series  constitute  good  farm  lands,  except  where  the 
soil  is  shallow. 

The  Boone  series  embraces  the  light-colored  residual  soils  of 
the  unglaciated  region,  derived  largely  from  the  weathering  and 
disintegrating  of  sandstone. 

The  dark-colored  soils  of  the  unglaciated  region,  where  the 
soils  are  alluvial  or  stream  deposits  and  occur  as  first-bottom 
land,  are  classed  with  the  Wabash  series.  They  are  subject  to 
overflow  and  require  drainage. 

Dark-colored  poorly  drained  soils  within  the  glacial  region, 
and  which  are  calcareous — contain  lime — are  included  with 
the  Clyde  series.  These  soils  occupy  old  glacial-lake  beds, 
ponded  valleys,  or  bottom  land  along  the  streams. 

Similar  dark  colored  poorly  drained  soils  which  are  not  cal- 
careous are  classed  with  the  Dunning  series. 

The  Genesee  series  includes  light-colored  alluvial  soils  which 
occur  as  first  bottom  lands  and  are  subject  to  overflow. 


Name  used  in  the  Bureau  of  Soils 
report. 

Miami  gravelly  fine  sandy  loam. 
Carrington  silt  loam. 

Carrington  silt  loam,  deep  phase. 
Waukesha  silt  loam,  low  terrace 
phase. 

Waukesha  fine  sandy  loam,  low  ter- 
race phase. 

Union  silt  loam. 

Union  silt  loam,  steep  phase. 
Crawford  silt  loam. 

La  Crosse  silt  loam. 


Name  used  in  the  present  report. 


Miami  gravelly  sandy  loam. 
Carrington  silt  loam,  shallow  phase. 
Carrington  silt  loam. 

Dunning  silt  loam. 

Dunning  fine  sandy  loam. 

Knox  silt  loam. 

Knox  silt  loam,  steep  phase. 
Dodgeville  silt  loam,  shallow  phase. 
Wabash  silt  loam,  terrace  phase. 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA. 


11 


The  Rodman  soils  consist  of  light-colored  stratified  glacial 
material,  and  occur  as  gravelly  knolls  and  ridges.  This  series 
is  not  extensively  developed  in  Dane  County. 

Rough  stony  land  includes  areas  of  steep,  rocky  slopes,  where 
the  land  is  too  steep  or  too  rocky  to  be  of  value  for  cultivated 
crops.  These  areas  may  be  considered  as  nonagricultural. 

Madeland  includes  small  areas  where  the  surface  soil  has  been 
deposited  by  artificial  means.  It  consists  mainly  of  poorly 
drained  areas  which  it  has  been  desirable  to  fill  in  for  building 


purposes. 

Peat  consists  of  vegetable  matter  in  varying  stages  of  decom- 
position, with  which  there  may  be  incorporated  a small  amount 
of  mineral  matter.  It  occupies  old  lake  beds,  marshes,  and 
poorly  drained  depressions. 

Muck  includes  soils  high  in  organic  matter  and  intermediate 
between  Peat  and  the  soils  of  the  Clyde  series. 

Meadow  includes  first-bottom  land  which  is  low,  poorly 
drained,  and  subject  to  overflow.  The  texture  is  so  variable 
that  no  separation  into  established  types  can  be  made. 

The  following  table  gives  the  name  and  the  actual  and  rela- 
tive extent  of  each  of  the  soils  mapped  in  Dane  County. 


Areas  of  Different  Soils 


Miami  silt  loam 

Deep  phase 

Carrington  silt  loam 

Shallow  phase 

Knox  silt  loam 

Steep  phase 

Peat 

Dodgeville  silt  loam 

Shallow  phase 

Clyde  siJt  loam 

Wabash  silt  loam 

Colluvial  phase 

Terrace  phase 

Boone  fine  sandy  loam 

Fox  silt  loam 

Waukesha  silt  loam 

Miami  fine  sandy  loam 

Rough  stony  land 

Miami  gravelly  sandy  loam  . 

Muck 

Waukesha  fine  sandy  loam  . . . 

Fox  fine  sandy  loam 

Clyde  fine  sai  d loam 

Carrington  fine  sandy  loam. . . 

Plainfield  fine  sand 

Dunning  fine  sandy  loam 

Rodman  gravelly  sandy  loam 

Boone  loam 

Meadow 

Fox  loam 

Wabash  loam 

Madeland 

Miami  loam 

Clyde  loam 

Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loam. . . 
Genesee  fine  sand 


Acres 

Per  cent 

154,752 

98,752 

79,296 

32.9 

18.2 

60,736 
79, 872 

12.3 

15, 104 
52,288 

6.8 

32,640 

7,424 

37,184 

5.2 

4.8 

16,064 

9,216 

2,176 

21,056 

3.6 

2.7 

17,600 

2.3 

12,480 

1 6 

12,480 

1.6 

10.752 

1.4 

10,368 

1 3 

8,448 

1.1 

6,208 

.8 

4,864 

.6 

3,712 

.5 

3,584 

.5 

1,984 

.2 

1,728 

.2 

1,536 

.2 

1,408 

.2 

1,344 

.2 

960 

.1 

960 

.1 

768 

.1 

512 

.1 

320 

.1 

128 

.1 

128 

.1 

769,280 

Total . 


12 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  II. 

CROUP  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS. 


MIAMI  SILT  LOAM 

Extent  and  distribution. — Miami  silt  loam,  with  its  deep 
phase,  is  the  most  important  type  in  the  county.'  The  typical 
soil  is  distributed  throughout  the  eastern  two-thirds  of  the 
county  and  is  closely  associated  with  its  deep  phase,  with  Miami 
fine  sand  loam,  and  with  soils  of  the  Carrington  series.  The 
most  extensive  areas  occur  in  Medina,  Middleton,  Springfield, 
Dane,  Berry,  and  Roxbury  Townships.  With  its  deep  phase, 
this  type  covers  almost  one-third  the  county. 

Description. — The  surface  soil  of  Miami  silt  loam  has  an  aver- 
age depth  of  10  to  12  inches.  It  consists  of  a light-brown  silt 
loam,  which  frequently  has  an  ashen  appearance  when  dry. 
There  is  often  present  in  the  soil  a small  amount  of  fine  gravel, 
and  in  places  a few  stones  occur  on  the  surface.  Where  the 
content  of  silt  is  highest  this  soil  is  usually  free  from  gravel  and 
small  stone  and  resembles  those  extremely  silty  soils  called  loess 
soils.  In  such  places  it  is  also  deeper  than  where  fine  sand  and 
gravel  is  mixed  with  the  silt.  Where  the  surface  soil  is  the 
most  silty  or  loess-like  and  of  considerable  depth  a deep  phase 
is  indicated  on  the  soil  map. 

The  subsoil  of  the  typical  Miami  silt  loam  consists  of  a brown  or 
yellowish-brown  silty  clay  loam  which  gradually  becomes  lighter 
in  color,  and  in  some  cases  lighter  in  texture,  with  depth.  Where 
the  soil  is  extremely  silty  it  may  continue  quite  uniform  and  al- 
most stone  free  to  a depth  of  two  feet,  where  occurs  an  abrupt 
changes  to  mixed  glacial  material  consisting  of  silty  clay,  sand 
and  gravel.  In  much  of  this  type  however,  there  is  some  gravel 
and  sand  throughout  the  entire  subsoil,  which  grades  from  a silty 
clay  loam  into  a heavy  fine  sandy  loam  or  even  a fine  sand  at  30  to 
36  inches.  The  lower  subsoil  usually  contains  a large  quantity  of 
fine  gravel.  By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  gravel  is  limestone, 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  13 

and  the  subsoil  is  generally  calcareous.  The  surface  soil  has 
frequently  been  leached  to  a considerable  extent,  and  in  some 
places  it  is  slightly  acid.  The  subsoil,  however  is  never  in  an  acid 
condition. 

This  soil  is  subject  to  considerable  variation,  especially  in  the 
depth  of  the  silty  or  loess-like  covering  and  the  amount  of  sand 
or  fine  gravel  present.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  county  it 
contains  more  fine  sand  than  in  the  northern  section.  On  some 
of  the  higher  elevations  the  silt  loam  covering  is  absent  and  the 
silty  clay  subsoil  exposed  over  small  tracts,  while  on  the  lower 
slopes,  in  the  same  locality  the  surface  soil  may  be  considerably 
deeper  than  the  average.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  county 
a reddish-yellow  clay  loam  subsoil  is  encountered  at  about  2 
feet  in  a few  places,  but  such  areas  are  of  small  extent.  A few 
gravel  knolls  too  small  to  indicate  on  the  map  have  been  in- 
cluded with  this  type.  There  is  some  variation  in  the  color  of 
the  soil,  especially  where  it  borders  Carrington  or  Clyde  silt 
loam.  In  such  localities  the  surface  soil  has  a dark-brown  color 
and  the  content  of  organic  matter  is  higher  than  usual. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  surface  features  of  the 
typical  Miami  silt  loam  range  from  gently  rolling  to  rolling, 
with  occasional  areas  where  the  surface  is  only  undulating.  In 
the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  especially  in  Medina  Township, 
there  are  a number  of  rounded  hills  and  ridges  upon  which  the 
type  occurs.  There  are  but  few  slopes  too  steep  to  be  culti- 
vated, and  modern  farm  machinery  can  be  used  on  practically 
all  the  type.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  especially  in 
Rutland  Township,  the  slopes  of  some  of  the  hills  have  but  a 
shallow  covering  of  soil,  and  rock  outcrops  are  numerous. 

On  account  of  the  surface  features  of  this  type  the  natural 
drainage  is  good.  It  is  excessive  in  a few  places  where  there 
is  more  gravel  than  usual  in  the  soil  or  occurring  in  beds  be- 
neath the  type.  The  steeper  slopes  are  subject  to  erosion.  But 
little  of  the  type,  however,  has  been  seriously  damaged  by 
erosion. 

Origin. — Miami  silt  is  derived  from  the  weathering  of  the 
glacial  till  and  the  loess-like  material  which  is  encountered 
throughout  most  of  its  area.  The  loess-like  covering  is  much 
thinner  over  the  typical  soil  than  over  the  deep  phase,  and  the 
glacial  till  thus  enters  into  the  main  type  to  a greater  extent 
than  is  the  case  with  the  deep  phase.  The  underlying  rock  is 


14 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


chiefly  limestone,  and  it  gives  rise  to  the  limestone  gravel  in  the 
soil  section.  A large  part  of  the  soil  material  has  doubtless  been 
derived  from  the  underlying  limestone.  In  the  southern  part 
of  the  county  there  are  a number  of  small  areas  where  the  St. 
Peters  sandstone  occurs,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that  the  pres- 
ence of  this  rock  accounts  for  the  more  sandy  nature  of  the 
Miami  silt  loam  in  the  southern  part  of  the  area.  The  cal- 
careous nature  of  the  subsoil  is  due  to  the  influence  of  the  lime- 
stone. 

Native  vegetation. — The  original  forest  growth  on  Miami  silt 
loam  consisted  chiefly  of  white,  black,  and  red  oak  and  maple, 
with  some  hickory,  basswood,  and  elm.  Over  a part  of  the  type 
the  timber  growth  was  scattered,  and  the  term  “oak  openings’7 
is  frequently  used  to  describe  this  condition.  The  typical  soil 
was  more  heavily  forested  than  the  deep  phase. 

Present  agricultural  development. — It  is  estimated  that  ap- 
proximately 80  per  cent  of  the  typical  Miami  silt  loam  is  under 
cultivation,  while  the  remainder  is  chiefly  devoted  to  permanent 
pasture.  The  chief  type  of  agriculture  followed  consists  of 
general  farming  and  dairying.  Farming  operations  are  confined 
chiefly  to  growing  corn,  small  grains,  and  hay.  Corn  averages 
about  35  busehls,  oats  about  35  bushels,  barley  25  bushels,  wheat 
10  to  30  bushels,  and  timothy  and  clover  hay  mixed  1 ton  to  l1/^ 
tons  per  acre.  In  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county  tobacco  is 
grown  as  a special  crop,  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  Stoughton, 
Oregon,  and  Utica.  Yields  range  from  1,100  to  1,700  pounds 
per  acre.  Where  this  crop  is  grown  it  is  given  much  more  care 
and  is  fertilized  much  more  heavily  than  other  crops.  Dairying 
is  carried  on  more  extensively  in  the  vicinity  of  Verona  than 
elsewhere  on  this  type. 

The  value  of  land  on  the  Miami  silt  loam  ranges  from  about 
$75  to  $150  per  acre. 

MIAMI  SILT  LOAM,  DEEP  PHASE. 

Extent  and,  distribution. — Miami  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  is  an 
important  soil  in  Dane  County.  Its  most  extensive  development 
is  in  the  northeastern  section,  in  Sun  Prairie  and  York  Town- 
ships. 

Description. — The  surface  soil  of  Miami  silt  loam,  deep  phase, 
to  an  average  depth  of  12  to  14  inches  consists  of  a light-brown 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  15 


silt  loam,  with  a low  content  of  organic  matter,  but  high  in  silt. 
The  color  of  the  soil  varies  somewhat  with  the  moisture  content, 
the  surface  presenting  a grey  or  ashen  appearance  when  dry. 
With  a few  exceptions,  the  surface  is  practically  free  from  gravel 
and  stones,  and  but  few  areas  contain  as  large  quantities  of  fine 
sand  as  occur  in  the  typical  soil. 

The  subsoil  consists  of  a yellowish-brown  silt  loam,  which 
gradually  becomes  heavier  with  depth.  At  about  24 
inches  it  is  usually  a silty  clay  loam  which  extends  to  a depth  of 
3 to  6 feet,  where  is  encountered  a mixture  of  sand,  silt,  clay  and 
gravel.  This  sandy  gravelly  portion  of  the  lower  subsoil  is  un- 
doubtedly the  true  glacial  till,  while  the  extremely  silty  material 
above  it  resembles  loess.  The  upper  subsoil  sometimes  contains 
thin  layers  of  fine  and  very  fine  sand,  while  the  lower  subsoil 
may  be  slightly  mottled  with  brownish  red,  yellow  or  drab. 
There  is  usually  an  abrupt  change  from  the  silty  or  loess-like  por- 
tion of  the  subsoil  to  the  true  glacial  till,  the  stones,  boulders,  or 
gravel  being  almost  or  entirely  lacking  in  the  upper  part,  but 
rather  numerous  below.  The  gravel  consists  chiefly  of  limestone. 

While  the  deep  phase  as  a whole  is  very  uniform,  a few  local 
variations  occur.  Where  this  soil  borders  the  Carrington  or 
Clyde  soils  the  color  at  the  surface  is  darker  than  the  average. 
Where  it  borders  the  typical  Miami  silt  loam  or  Miami  fine  sandy 
loam  the  subsoil  is  frequently  somewhat  sandy  below  a depth  of 
24  inches.  In  a few  places  knolls  or  small  hills  occur  within  the 
type  over  which  the  silty  covering  is.  shallow  and  where  the  sub- 
soil consists  chiefly  of  a mixture  of  sand,  clay  and  gravel.  Such 
areas,  where  of  sufficient  extent,  are  included  with  the  typical 
soil. 

Miami  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  resembles  Knox  silt  loam  quite 
closely  in  color  and  texture,  and  has  a similar  extremely  silty  or 
loess-like  nature.  It  is  underlain,  however,  by  sand  and  gravel — 
the  glacial  till — , while  the  Knox  silt  loam  is  underlain  by  de- 
composing limestone.  The  phase  also  resembles  the  Carrington 
silt  loam  in  texture  and  origin,  but  it  is  light  colored  and  was 
originally  timbered,  while  the  Carrington  is  dark-colored  and  is 
a prairie  soil. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  surface  of  this  phase  is  gen- 
erally less  rolling  than  that  of  the  main  type.  The  topography 
varies  from  gently  undulating  to  gently  rolling,  the  slopes  being 
long  and  gentle.  There  are  sonm  small  areas  where  the  surface 


16 


SOI L SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


is  nearly  level,  and  in  which,  even  where  the  surface  has  a gentle 
slope,  tile  drains  are  sometimes  needed.  Over  most  of  the  phase, 
however,  the  natural  surface  drainage  is  good.  The  soil  is  some- 
what more  compact  than  in  the  main  type,  and  the  downward 
movement  of  water  is  not  so  rapid  as  in  the  lighter  textured  soils. 
The  soil  retains  moisture  very  well,  and  crops  suffer  less  during 
long  dry  periods  than  on  most  of  the  other  soils  of  the  county. 
The  phase  is  not  subject  to  destructive  erosion. 

Origin. — The  deep  phase  of  Miami  silt  loam  owes  its  origin  to 
the  weathering  of  the  loess-like  covering  over  the  glacial  till. 
The  loess-like  material  occurs  as  a mantle  over  all  of  this  phase. 
It  may  have  been  blown  on  the  glacial  ice  sheet  which  covered 
this  region,  gradually  settling  as  the  ice  melted  as  a covering 
over  the  glacial  debris.  The  underlying  subsoil  consists  of 
typical  glacial  till.  It  contains  large  quantities  of  limestone 
gravel  and  is  highly  calcareous,  while  the  surface  silty  material 
contains  but  little  calcium  carbonate,  and  is  frequently  in  an  acid 
condition.  The  phase  is  made  up  more  largely  of  silty  loessial 
material  than  the  typical  soil.  The  underlying  rock,  from  which 
much  of  the  glacial  till  is  derived,  is  limestone. 

Native  vegetation. — The  original  forest  growth  on  the  phase 
was  not  as  dense  as  on  the  typical  soil  and  much  of  this  land  was 
referred  to  as  “oak  openings. ’ ’ Timber  consisted  of  white, 
red,  and  black  oak,  hickory,  maple,  basswood,  and  some  elm. 
Practically  all  of  the  merchantable  timber  has  been  removed,  and 
about  all  that  is  now  left  is  in  small  tracts  of  1 to  10  acres  of 
second-growth  trees,  suitable  chiefly  for  fuel. 

Present  agricultural  development. — There  is  only  a very  small 
part  of  the  deep  phase  not  cultivated.  It  constitutes  good  agri- 
cultural land,  and  many  highly  improved  farms  are  located  upon 
it.  General  farming  is  the  chief  type  of  agriculture  followed. 
Dairying  is  carried  on  to  some  extent,  and  special  crops  are 
grown  in  some  sections.  For  quality  of  products  this  phase  is 
unexcelled  in  the  county  and  only  the  Carrington  silt  loam,  the 
Clyde  soils,  and  the  Waukesha  soils  produce  heavier  yields  of 
certain  crops.  Corn  yields  about  40  bushels  per  acre  on  the 
average,  oats  about  the  same.  Barley  averages  30  bushels, 
and  wheat  produces  10  to  30  bushels  per  acre.  For  a number 
of  years  wheat  was  not  grown,  the  farmers  claiming  that  it  could 
no  longer  be  produced  profitably.  During  the  last  few  years, 


This  is  the  most  extensive  and  important  type  of  soil  in  Dane  County.  It  occupies  an  acre  of  over  one  quarter  million  acres  or 
32.9  per  cent  of  the  entire  county. 


■WISCONSIN  GEOL.  AND  NAT.  HIST.  SURVEY.  PLATE 


Wisconsin  Geod.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


This  is  the  most  extensive  type  of  soil  in  southwestern  Wisconsin.  In  Dane  county  there  are  94,976  acres. 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  17 


however,  some  very  successful  crops  have  been  grown.  Clover 
and  timothy,  mixed,  yield  1 y2  to  2 y2  tons  per  acre. 

A number  of  the  farmers  are  engaged  in  growing  peas.  Peas 
for  canning  yield  about  2,000  pounds  per  acre,  and  dry  peas 
about  20  bushels  per  acre,  although  larger  yields  are  frequently 
reported.  Where  the  green  peas  are  used  for  canning,  the  vines 
make  good  ensilage,  and  may  be  utilized  profitably  for  feeding 
cattle.  The  leading  varieties  of  peas  are  the  Alaska,  a very  early 
pea,  and  the  Horsford  and  Advance,  which  mature  somewhat 
later.  Sugar  beets  are  grown  in  Sun  Prairie  and  Bristol  Town- 
ships, with  yields  of  10  to  17  tons  per  acre.  The  sugar  content 
is  higher  than  that  of  beets  grown  on  the  dark-colored  soils.  Be- 
tween Sun  Prairie  and  Waunakee,  and  to  a smaller  extent  in  the 
vicinity  of  Marshall,  tobacco  is  grown  as  a special  crop.  Con- 
siderable tobacco  is  also  grown  on  this  phase  in  the  vicinity  of 
Albion,  though  this  soil  is  more  limited  in  extent  in  the  southern 
and  southeastern  sections  of  the  county  than  in  the  northern  and 
northeastern.  Yields  of  tobacco  range  from  1,000  to  1,800 
pounds  per  acre. 

In  general  the  same  methods  of  farming  are  followed  on  the 
deep  phase  as  on  the  typical  soil.  While  the  texture  is  somewhat 
heavier  than  that  of  the  typical  soil,  it  is  as  easily  cultivated,  as 
there  are  no  steep  slopes.  The  drainage  is  not  as  thorough, 
however,  and  in  the  nearly  level  areas  it  is  a little  later  than  the 
main  type.  The  rotations  followed,  methods  of  fertilization, 
etc.,  are  the  same  as  for  the  typical  soil,  and  the  same  methods 
of  improvement  are  needed.  The  dairy  industry  offers  good 
opportunities  on  this  phase,  and  in  general  it  is  suited  to  a more 
intensive  system  of  farming.  Tiling  is  advantageous  where  the 
land  is  nearly  level,  and  backward  in  the  spring.  Where  tobacco 
is  grown  the  remainder  of  the  farm  is  frequently  neglected.  The 
tendency  at  present  seems  to  be  to  reduce  the  tobacco  acreage, 
and  to  give  increased  attention  to  the  dairy  industry.  Alfalfa 
is  coming  to  be  an  important  crop. 

The  value  of  land  of  this  character  ranges  from  $100  to  $150 
an  acre.  In  regions  where  tobacco  is  grown  extensively  the 
price  for  small  tracts  of  land  is  still  higher. 


18 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  MIAMI  SILT  LOAM 
AND  MIAMI  SILT  LOAM,  DEEP  PHASE. 

As  stated  in  the  paragraph  on  origin,  this  soil  was  formed 
largely  by  the  grinding  up  of  underlying  rocks  by  the  ice  during 
the  glacial  period  and  mixing  this  ground  limestone  with  soil  and 
clay  of  residual  soils  brought  from  farther  north.  In  conse- 
quence it  is  not  generally  acid,  but  the  leaching  action  of  water 
dissolving  out  this  lime  corbonate  from  the  surface  soil  has  re- 
moved it  and  permitted  the  development  of  acidity  over  a part 
of  the  area.  This  is  true  especially  of  the  hilltops  and  it  is  prob- 
able that  the  surface  soil  from  a quarter  to  a third  of  the  area 
of  this  type  is  acid  and  should  be  limed  to  suit  it  thoroughly  for 
the  growth  of  alfalfa.  The  degree  of  acidity  so  far  developed 
does  not  yet  appear  to  interfere  with  the  growth  of  clover’  in 
many  cases. 

The  chemical  analysis  of  this  soil  shows  it  to  contain  on  the 
average  between  1100  and  1200  pounds  of  phosphorus  in  the  sur- 
face eight  inches,  approximately  3000  pounds  of  nitrogen,  and 
between  30,000  and  40,000  pounds  of  potassium.  This  amount 
of  phosphorus  is  relatively  high  and  it  is  comparatively  easy  to 
retain  the  phosphorus  supply  necessary  to  feed  staple  crops  on 
this  soil.  When  most  of  the  crops  grown  on  the  farm  are  fed, 
the  manure  carefully  preserved  and  returned  to  the  land,  and 
especially  if  some  feed  is  purchased  which  contains  phosphorus, 
comparatively  little  fertilizers  need  be  purchased  to  maintain  the 
supply  of  this  element,  but  unless  some  bran  or  other  feeds  con- 
taining phosphorus  are  purchased,  some  phosphorus  fertilizers 
will  in  time  be  needed,  even  on  the  dairy  or  stock  farm,  and  Avhen 
special  crops,  such  as  sugar  beets,  tobacco,  etc.,  or  grain  for  sale 
are  raised,  this  element  must  be  supplied,  and  the  heavier  the 
yield  the  more  important  does  this  matter  become. 

The  nitrogen  and  organic  matter  in  this  soil  on  an  average  are 
naturally  relatively  low  and  all  lines  of  farming  should  include 
the  growing  of  clover,  alfalfa  or  other  legumes  either  for  feed  or 
for  green  manure  in  order  to  maintain  and  increase  it.  This  is 
a much  better  method  of  securing  nitrogen  as  a rule  than  the  use 
of  commercial  fertilizers  containing  that  element,  though  in 
special  cases  commercial  nitrogen  fertilizers  can  be  used  to  ad- 
vantage. The  use  of  clover  or  other  legumes  in  rotation,  even 
with  special  truck  crops,  not  only  adds  nitrogen  but  also  adds 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  19 


organic  matter  which  improves  the  tilth  and  assists  in  keeping 
ground  free  from  weeds.  On  an  average  not  less  than  a quarter 
of  the  land  should  be  in  legume  crops  annually. 

The  amount  of  potash  in  this  class  of  soil,  as  in  fact  in  practi- 
cally all  clay  loam  or  silt  loam  soils,  is  very  large,  but  the  amount 
supplied  to  the  growing  plants  depends  on  the  rate  at  which  it 
is  changed  from  the  inert  form  to  soluble  and  available  form. 
The  presence  of  a good  supply  of  actively  decomposing  vegetable 
matter,  such  as  stable  manure  or  a green  manuring  crop,  is  the 
most  important  condition  affecting  this  change.  When  this  con- 
dition exists  there  will  in  practically  all  cases  be  a sufficient  sup- 
ply of  available  potassium  for  nearly  all  crops,  but  such  special 
crops  as  tobacco,  cabbage,  and  in  some  cases  even  potatoes,  will 
be  assisted  by  an  additional  application  of  potash  salts. 

The  natural  drainage  of  nearly  all  of  this  type  is  good.  There 
are,  however,  some  tracts  where  the  levelness  of  the  surface  or 
the  drainage  of  higher  land  to  it,  will  require  the  use  of  tile  to 
get  thorough  drainage. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  for  the  most  part  is  undulating  but  is 
seldom  so  rough  as  to  cause  serious  erosion.  Nevertheless  there 
are  a great  many  fields  of  this  type  of  soil  in  the  county  on  which 
erosion  produces  a great  deal  of  damage.  Farmers  owning  lands 
of  this  kind  should  give  these  fields  closest  attention  to  prevent 
this  injury.  Methods  of  lessening  erosion  are  discussed  more 
fully  on  page  28  in  the  description  of  the  Knox  silt  loam, 
which  is  much  more  subject  to  erosion  than  Miami  soils  as  a rule. 

The  intermediate  character  of  this  soil  together  with  the 
good  supply  of  lime  adapts  it  to  a wide  range  of  crops.  It  is 
especially  adapted  to  grass  both  for  hay  and  pasture,  to  clover 
and  alfalfa,  and  to  the  small  grains,  but  corn  also  grows  very  well 
when  the  proper  attention  in  regard  to  organic  matter  and 
phosphorus  is  observed,  and  when  well  fertilized  sugar  beets  and 
other  special  and  truck  crops  succeed  very  well. 

MIAMI  LOAM. 

Miami  loam  occurs  in  small  areas  in  various  parts  of  the 
county  in  association  with  Miami  silt  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam. 
The  largest  area  lies  2 miles  southwest  of  Madison.  The  surface 
soil  to  an  average  depth  of  about  10  inches  consists  of  a light- 
brown  loam  containing  a large  quantity  of  fine  sand  and  silt. 


20 


8 OIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


This  is  underlain  by  a yellowish  brown,  heavy  sandy  loam  or 
sandy  clay  loam  which  becomes  somewhat  heavier  with  depth. 
At  about  2 feet  glacial  material  consisting  of  sand,  clay,  gravel, 
and  bowlders,  is  encountered.  Most  of  the  gravel  is  limestone. 
In  places  this  soil  is  lighter  than  typical,  approaching  a fine 
sandy  loam.  It  appears  to  be  a gradation  between  the  silt  loam 
and  the  fine  sandy  loam  of  the  Miami  series. 

The  topography  is  usually  gently  rolling,  and  the  natural 
drainage  is  good.  On  some  of  the  steeper  slopes  there  is  some 
danger  of  erosion,  but  little  damage  has  resulted  from  this  source. 

Miami  loam  is  derived  from  the  weathering  of  glacial  material, 
most  of  which  was  formed  from  the  underlying  limestone.  The 
surface  has  been  leached  to  a considerable  extent,  however,  so 
that  it  is  frequently  found  to  be  in  an  acid  condition,  while  the 
subsoil  is  usually  well  supplied  with  lime. 

Chemical  analyses  show  that  this  soil  resembles  the  Miami  silt 
loam  very  closely-  in  chemical  composition,  except  in  the  phos- 
phorus content  which  is  usually  slightly  lower.  Much  of  the 
type  is  farmed  in  conjunction  with  Miami  silt  loam,  and  the  crops 
grown,  yields  obtained  and  methods  for  management  are  much 
the  same  as  for  that  soil.* 

FOX  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution. — Fox  silt  loam  is  of  moderately  large 
extent  and  occurs  in  various  parts  of  the  glaciated  portions  of 
the  county.  It  is  developed  along  the  north  shore  of  Lake 
Mendota,  near  Springfield  Corners,  and  in  the  northwestern  and 
south-central  parts  of  the  county.  This  soil  also  occurs  in  small 
areas  southeast  of  Stoughton. 

Description. — The  surface  soil  of  Fox  silt  loam,  extending  to 
an  average  depth  of  10  inches,  consists  of  a brown  loam  which 
contains  large  quantities  of  silt  and  very  fine  sand.  The  con- 
tent of  organic  matter  is  somewhat  higher  than  is  usual  for  this 
soil,  the  color  frequently  being  almost  as  dark  as  that  of  the 
Waukesha  soils.  The  subsoil  consists  of  yellowish-brown  loam 
to  silt  loam,  with  a small  percentage  of  fine  and  very  fine  sand. 
With  increasing  depth  the  content  of  sand  usually  becomes 
greater.  All  of  this  soil  is  underlain  by  stratified  sand  and 
gravel.  In  a few  places  the  gravel  lies  within  2 feet  of  the 


*See  page  18  for  discussion  of  the  management  of  Miami  silt  loam. 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY , LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  21 


surface.  Even  though  there  is  considerable  limestone  in  the 
gravel,  the  surface  soil,  as  indicated  by  tests  with  litmus  paper, 
is  strongly  acid  in  many  instances. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  surface  of  Fox  silt  loam  is 
level  to  very  gently  undulating  and  the  natural  drainage  is  fair, 
except  where  the  gravel  and  sand  layer  lies  at  considerable  depth 
in  which  case  the  drainage  is  frequently  poor.  Such  areas  are 
so  situated,  however,  that  they  could  be  readily  tile-drained. 

Origin. — Fox  silt  loam  occurs  as  outwash  plains  or  old  valley 
fill,  and  was  all  deposited  by  water,  chiefly  by  streams  issuing 
from  the  glacial  ice  sheet.  The  parent  material  is  glacial  debris 
which  was  mainly  ground  from  the  underlying  limestone  of  the 
region.  While  the  soil  has  been  considerably  leached  since  its 
first  deposition,  it  usually  contains  some  carbonate  of  lime,  which 
tends  to  prevent  the  development  of  an  acid  condition.  The 
original  forest  growth  consisted  chiefly  of  elm,  ash,  hickory, 
and  oak. 

Present  agricultural  development. — The  greater  part  of  this 
soil  is  under  cultivation,  and  general  farming  is  the  chief  type 
of  agriculture.  Where  the  drainage  conditions  are  best,  yields 
average  about  the  same  as  on  Miami  silt  loam,  with  which  this 
soil  is  often  associated.  Corn,  oats,  barley,  clover,  and  timothy 
are  the  general  farm  crops  grown,  and  as  this  soil  occurs  in  small 
tracts,  it  usually  only  forms  parts  of  fields  where  Miami  silt 
loam  is  the  predominating  type. 

The  value  of  farms  on  this  soil  ranges  from  $60  to  $150  an 
acre,  depending  upon  the  condition  of  the  land,  improvements, 
location,  etc. 

Chemical  Composition  and  Management.— This  soil  is  one 
naturally  having  a high  degree  of  fertility.  The  chemical 
analysis  shows  it  to  have  on  the  average  between  2500  and  3000 
pounds  of  nitrogen,  1000  or  1200  pounds  of  phosphorus,  and 
about  35,000  pounds  of  potassium  per  acre  to  a depth  of  eight 
inches.  The  organic  matter  and  nitrogen  are  somewhat  low  and 
methods  of  increasing  this  element  should  be  kept  distinctly  in 
mind  by  farmers  working  on  this  soil.  When  most  of  the  crops 
grown  are  fed  and  the  manure  returned  the  nitrogen  and  organic 
matter  may  ordinarily  be  kept  up,  provided  at  least  a quarter  of 
the  farm  is  in  clover,  alfalfa  or  other  legumes  regularly,  and  no 
considerable  amounts  of  grain  are  sown.  Level  land  of  this 
kind,  free  from  stone  and  having  good  fertility  is  of  course  ex- 


22 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


ceptionally  well  adapted  to  special  crops,  such  as  tobacco,  sugar 
beets,  peas  for  canning  purposes,  etc.  When  such  crops  are 
grown  fertility  must  be  maintained  at  a high  state  to  make  their 
production  profitable.  Lime  should  be  used  for  correcting 
acidity,  and  legumes  should  be  grown  either  for  feed  or  as  green 
manure  for  maintaining  the  nitrogen  supply.  Some  form  of 
phosphate  fertilizer  should  be  used  for  maintaining  or  increas- 
ing the  supply  of  this  element.  Some  small  fields  of  this  soil 
need  better  drainage  for  which  tile  is  by  all  means  the  best 
method.  The  soil  on  the  whole  has  good  under- drainage  as  the 
result  of  the  fine  gravel  and  sand  found  in  the  subsoil. 

FOX  LOAM. 

Fox  loam  is  an  inextensive  soil  in  this  county,  the  largest  area, 
comprising  slightly  more  than  a square  mile,  occurs  in  the  south- 
central  part  of  the  county,  immediately  northwest  of  Brooklyn. 
There  is  a smaller  area  southeast  of  Sauk  City,  in  the  north- 
western corner  of  the  county. 

The  surface  soil  of  Fox  loam,  extending  to  an  average  depth 
of  10  inches,  consists  of  a brown  loam  which  contains  large 
quantities  of  silt  and  very  fine  sand.  The  organic  matter  con- 
tent is  somewhat  higher  than  usual  for  this  type,  and  the  color 
frequently  approaches  that  of  the  Waukesha  soils.  The  sub- 
soils consist  of  yellowish-brown  loam  to  silt  loam,  with  a small 
percentage  of  fine  and  very  fine  sand.  The  content  of  sand 
usually  increases  with  depth,  and  in  all  cases  this  soil  is  under- 
lain by  stratified  beds  of  sand  and  gravel.  In  few  places  the 
gravel  lies  within  2 feet  of  the  surface.  Even  though  there  is 
considerable  limestone  in  the  gravel,  the  surface  soil,  as  indicated 
by  the  litmus-paper  test  is  strongly  acid  in  many  instances. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  is  level  or  gently  undulating,  and  the 
natural  drainage  is  good.  It  occurs  as  a terrace  formation  and 
is  of  alluvial  origin.  It  is  well  above  the  present  flood  plain. 

This  soil  is  now  highly  improved.  In  the  area  near  Brooklyn 
corn  yields  35  to  45  bushels,  oats  30  to  45  bushels,  barley  30  to  40 
bushels,  and  ha.y  l1/^  to  2 tons  per  acre.  Other  portions  of  the 
type  are  of  nearly  equal  value  for  crop  production.  The  rota- 
tion usually  followed  consists  of  corn,  followed  by  small  grain 
for  two  years,  and  then  timothy  and  clover.  The  soil  is  easy 
to  cultivate  and  a mellow  seed  bed  can  be  obtained  without 
difficulty. 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  23 


Land  with  Fox  loam  soil  near  Brooklyn  is  valued  at  $125  to 
$135  an  acreT  Elsewhere  it  has  a somewhat  lower  value. 

In  chemical  composition  this  soil  resembles  Fox  silt  loam,  al- 
though it  is  slightly  lower  in  phosphorus.  The  same  methods 
for  the  improvement  of  that  soil  are  applicable  for  Fox  loam.* 

KNOX  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution. — Knox  silt  loam  is  confined  chiefly  to 
the  western  and  southwestern  portion  of  Dane  County. 
Throughout  that  region  this  soil,  with  its  steep  phase,  is  the  pre- 
dominating type.  The  typical  soil  occupies  the  tops  of  ridges 
and  gentle  slopes,  while  the  steep  phase  is  found  along  the  steep 
hillsides  and  narrow  ridge  tops.  Associated  with  this  soil  are 
numerous  areas  of  Rough  stony  land,  where  the  surface  is  very 
steep  and  where  rock  outcrops  are  common  on  the  valley  walls. 

Description.—- The  surface  soil  of  Knox  silt  loam  has  an 
average  depth  of  12  inches  and  consists  of  a light-brown  or  grey- 
ish brown  silt  loam,  with  a very  smooth  feel  and  containing  only 
comparatively  small  quantities  of  organic  matter.  This  soil  in 
its  extremely  silty  nature  resembles  loess.  The  subsoil  consists 
of  a yellowish-brown  heavy  silt  loam,  which  gradually  becomes 
heavier  in  texture  with  depth,  until  at  18  inches  there  is  a silty 
clay  loam. 

Below  this  depth  the  subsoil  continues  a silty  clay  loam  or  clay 
loam  to  more  than  3 feet.  Both  surface  soil  and  subsoil  of  the 
Knox  silt  loam  are  free  from  coarse  sand,  gravel,  or  stones,  and 
the  texture  as  a whole  is  very  uniform.  Tests  with  litmus  paper 
indicate  that  there  is  in  places  a slight  acid  condition. 

The  variations  which  occur  in  the  Knox  silt  loam  are  in  depth 
of  the  soil  and  in  topagraphy,  rather  than  in  texture.  The 
greatest  variation  is  in  topography  and  a steep  phase  of  this  type 
has  been  mapped  separately.  Another  variation  which  is  not 
indicated  on  the  map  is  in  depth  to  the  underlying  rock  or  to  the 
decomposed  rock — the  residual  material — derived  from  the 
underlying  rock.  Usually  the  silty  or  loess-like  covering  has  a 
thickness  of  6 to  10  feet,  but  there  are  places  where  the  under- 
lying residual  material  is  within  3 feet,  and  occasionally  over 
small  areas  within  1 foot  of  the  surface.  The  underlying  rock 

*See  page  21  for  chemical  composition  and  management  of  Fox 
loam. 


24 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


is  usually  limestone,  which  on  decomposing  has  formed  a yellow- 
ish-red or  red  clay  loam  or  clay.  Immediately  over  the  rock  the 
clay  may  have  a variegated  color,  red,  brown,  yellow  and  drab 
being  common.  Where  the  rock  is  near  the  surface  limestone 
fragments  and  some  chert  occur  in  the  subsoil  and  in  places  on 
the  surface.  Where  sandstone  is  the  underlying  rock,  as  is 
sometimes  the  case,  the  deep  subsoil  is  sandy,  and  sand  is  more 
or  less  mixed  with  the  silt.  In  such  cases,  as  bedrock  is  ap- 
proached the  fine  sand  becomes  more  abundant.  Such  areas 
are  comparatively  inextensive.  In  this  portion  of  the  county 
the  limestone  in  places  is  rather  sandy,  also  in  the  sandstone 
there  are  occasionally  thin  clay  or  shale  layers,  from  which  in 
either  case  a sandy  or  gritty  clay  loam  or  clay  could  be  formed 
by  the  decomposition  or  weathering  of  the  rock. 

Included  with  this  soil  are  some  areas  of  light-colored  silt  loam 
south  of  Yerona  where  there  is  some  indication  that  the  country 
has  been  glaciated — occasional  rounded  boulders  which  are  not 
of  sandstone  or  limestone,  but  where  the  silty  loess-like  soil  covers 
the  whole  country,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a few  scattered 
bowlders,  the  soil  resembles  the  typical  Knox  silt  loam. 

A variation  in  color  of  the  Knox  silt  loam  occurs  where  the 
type  borders  Dodge ville  silt  loam,  which  is  dark  brown  or  black 
in  color.  In  such  places  the  surface  soil  has  a darker  color  than 
the  average,  and  the  subsoil  also  is  sometimes  darker  than  usual, 
while  the  lower  portion  of  the  subsoil  is  the  same  as  in  the  case 
of  the  typical  soil. 

The  texture  and  color  of  Knox  silt  loam  are  very  similar  to 
those  of  the  deep  phase  of  Miami  silt  loam.  There  is  also  a 
similarity  in  texture  to  that  of  Dodge  ville  silt  loam  and  Carring- 
ton silt  loam,  but  both  of  these  are  dark  in  color  and  are  prairie 
soils  while  Knox  silt  loam  is  light  in  color  and  is  forested. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  topography  of  the  typical 
soil  varies  from  undulating  to  gently  rolling,  but  the  surface  is 
not  so  steep  as  to  prevent  the  efficient  use  of  farm  machinery. 
Where  the  slope  is  too  steep  for  cultivation  with  modern  farm 
machinery,  it  is  mapped  with  the  steep  phase.  The  more  nearly 
level  areas  are  confined  to  the  broad  ridge  tops.  Where  the 
ridges  are  narrow  the  surface  is  more  broken,  and  the  slopes 
grade  into  the  steep  phase.  The  natural  surface  drainage  is 
good.  Only  on  the  nearly  level  ridge  tops,  which  are  of  com- 
paratively small  extent,  would  tile  drains  be  found  profitable. 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  25 


The  subsoil  is  heavy  and  compact,  and  the  movement  of  water 
through  the  soil  is  not  as  free  as  where  there  is  some  sand  and 
gravel  mixed  with  the  subsoil,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  the  Miami 
soils.  Where  the  bedrock  is  near  the  surface  the  soil  may  be 
somewhat  droughty.  This  soil  erodes  readily,  and  when  slopes 
are  left  bare  ditches  and  ravines  are  formed  rapidly. 

Origin. — Knox  silt  loam  is  probably  derived  from  the  weather- 
ing of  the  silty  or  loessial  mantle  which  seems  to  cover  this  section 
of  .the  county,  and  from  the  decomposition  of  limestone  which 
underlies  the  present  soil  at  depth  of  three  feet  or  more.  Those 
areas  south  of  Verona  which  have  been  lightly  glaciated  are  of 
the  Pre-Wisconsin  drift  sheet.  Only  scattered  evidences  of 
glaciation,  such  as  crystalline  bowlders,  and  some  rounded  gravel 
are  to  be  found  in  this  region.  The  silty  loessial  covering  ap- 
parently extends  over  the  old  drift  with  the  resulting  soil  very 
similar  in  origin  to  the  typical  Knox  silt  loam. 

Native  vegetation. — The  original  forest  growth  consisted  of 
white,  bur,  and  black  oaks,  with  some  maple,  poplar,  hickory, 
birch,  and  basswood.  All  of  the  type  was  originally  forested, 
but  the  timber  remaining  is  largely  confined  to  the  steep  phase, 
with  a few  woodlots  on  the  main  type. 

Present  agricultural  development.- — By  far  the  greater  part  of 
the  typical  soil  is  under  cultivation,  although  some  of  the  steeper 
slopes  are  kept  in  permanent  pastures  or  woodlots.  The  type 
of  agriculture  followed  most  extensively  consists  of  general  farm- 
ing in  conjunction  with  dairying.  That  this  is  proving  very 
profitable  is  shown  by  the  number  of  silos  and  new  barns  which 
are  being  constructed  and  the  many  large  comfortable  farm 
houses  which  are  common  on  this  soil. 

Of  the  crops  grown  corn  produces  about  40  bushels,  oats  35 
bushels,  wheat  15  bushels,  and  timothy  and  clover  mixed  about 
1 *,4  tons  of  hay  per  acre.  Alfalfa  is  being  tried  on  a small  scale 
by  many  farmers  and  is  proving  to  be  a very  valuable  crop. 
Some  tobacco  is  grown,  but  the  acreage,  which  is  small  at  present 
is  becoming  less  each  year.  On  many  farms  there  is  a limited 
amount  of  land  desirable  for  corn  because  of  the  danger  of 
serious  washing  on  even  rather  gently  rolling  slopes  when  in  an 
intertilled  crop.  This  coupled  with  the  large  amount  of  per- 
manent pasture  on  all  these  farms  has  been  one  factor  in  deter- 
mining the  type  of  agriculture  of  this  portion  of  the  county. 
Dairying  has  become  the  most  important  industry  on  this  soil. 


26 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


The  result  of  small  acreage  of  corn  has  been  to  keep  the  hog 
raising  industry  as  a minor  part  of  the  farm  business.  On  this 
account  it  has  not  been  as  profitable  to  use  the  milk  for  butter 
where  there  would  be  a considerable  amount  of  skimmed  milk, 
so  desirable  for  feeding  hogs,  as  to  use  it  for  cheese.  The  result 
has  been  that  a very  extensive  cheese  making  industry  has  been 
developed  in  the  section  of  the  county  where  this  soil  predomi- 
nates. 

Although  no  systematic  rotation  of  crops  has  generally  been 
adapted  for  this  soil,  an  increased  number  of  farmers  are  giving 
this  matter  careful  attention.  Where  practically  all  of  the  farm 
is  ridge  land  the  rotation  commonly  followed  consists  of  corn 
one  year,  followed  by  a small  grain  crop  for  one  or  two  years. 
The  small  grain  is  usually  oats  or  barley,  although  some  wheat 
is  still  grown.  With  the  last  grain  crop  clover  and  timothy  are 
seeded,  and  hay  is  usually  cut  for  two  years  before  the  land  is 
again  plowed  for  corn.  Because  of  the  amount  of  steep  land 
in  permanent  pastures  associated  with  this  soil,  the  cultivated 
portion  of  the  farm  is  usually  not  pastured.  By  far  the 
majority  of  the  farmers  of  this  region  live  in  the  valleys  and 
both  ridge  and  valley  lands  are  included  in  the  farms.  In  such 
cases  much  of  the  corn  is  grown  in  the  valleys,  on  the  lower  slopes 
below  rough  stony  land  or  the  steep  phase  of  the  Knox  silt  loam 
and  on  the  higher  portions  of  the  valley  lands.  The  rotation 
common  for  the  Knox  silt  loam  ridge  land  in  such  cases,  espe- 
cially where  the  land  has  a slope  that  would  make  it  apt  to  wash 
badly  when  in  an  intertilled  crop,  consists  of  grain  two  years, 
then  seeded  to  timothy  and  clover  for  hay.  Timothy  or  clover 
sometimes  is  cut  for  seed.  After  being  seeded  down  for  two  or 
three  years  the  land  is  put  in  grain  again.  Very  often  these 
ridge  lands  do  not  receive  much  manure  because  of  the  difficulty 
of  the  haul  from  the  valley,  with  the  result  that  some  fields  show 
decreasing  yields. 

The  value  of  farms  on  this  soil  varies  widely  depending  on 
location,  improvements  and  on  the  topography  of  the  land,  the 
more  broken  areas  being  as  low  as  $30  to  $50  per  acre,  while  the 
gently  rolling  portions  are  held  at  $80  to  $100  or  over  per  acre. 

Knox  silt  loam,  steep  phase. — Knox  silt  loam,  steep  phase,  is 
confined  to  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county,  and  is  closely 
associated  with  the  typical  Knox  silt  loam.  It  forms  a part  of 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY , LIGHT  COLOREDUPLAND  SOILS.  27 

nearly  all  the  farms  containing  the  latter  and  has  considerable 
influence  in  determining  the  type  of  agriculture  followed. 

The  soil  usually  resembles  that  of  the  main  type,  but  is  subject 
to  more  variation  and  forms  a thinner  covering  over  the  under- 
lying rock.  The  surface  soil  is  usually  a light-brown  silt  loam 
to  a depth  of  about  10  inches.  This  is  underlain  by  a yellowish- 
brown  silty  clay  loam  which  usually  extends  to  a depth  of  3 feet 
or  more.  In  many  places  erosion  has  removed  the  surface 
covering  and  heavy  silty  clay  loam  forms  the  surface  soil.  In 
other  places,  especially  where  the  soil  is  shallow,  rock  fragments 
are  mixed  with  the  soil.  Over  sandstone  there  is  frequently  con- 
siderable fine  sand  incorporated  with  the  soil,  and  the  deep  sub- 
soil may  consist  of  a fine  sand  or  fine  sandy  loam.  Where  lime- 
stone is  the  underlying  rock  the  subsoil  is  frequently  a red  or 
reddish-brown,  heavy  clay  loam  containing  cherty  fragments. 
Rock  outcrops  occur  in  a few  places  on  this  phase. 

This  soil  has  a rolling  to  hilly  surface,  and  comprises  steep 
slopes  and  sharp,  narrow  ridges  over  which  the  grade  is  sufficient 
to  prevent  or  greatly  interfere  with  the  use  of  modern  farm 
machinery,  and  where  the  danger  from  erosion  is  so  great  that 
intertilled  crops  can  seldom  be  grown  with  safety. 

The  steep  phase  has  the  same  derivation  as  the  typical  soil,  but 
usually  the  underlying  rock  is  nearer  the  surface.  The  original 
forest  growth  consisted  of  several  varieties  of  oak,  maple,  hick- 
ory, birch,  and  basswood. 

Only  a small  part  of  the  steep  phase  is  under  cultivation. 
Most  of  it  is  still  forested,  and  where  the  timber  has  been  par- 
tially or  completely  removed  the  land  is  generally  in  permanent 
pasture.  The  timbered  areas  are  best  kept  forested. 

As  a whole  the  soil  of  the  steep  phase  is  somewhat  less  pro- 
ductive than  the  main  type,  but  if  the  surface  were  less  broken 
it  would  be  considered  a fair  agricultural  soil.  Associated  with 
the  steep  phase  are  areas  of  Rough  stony  land,  and  these,  to- 
gether with  the  steep  slopes,  tend  to  reduce  the  value  of  tracts  of 
typical  Knox  silt  loam  with  which  they  are  associated.  This 
phase  may  be  profitably  used  on  all  dairy  farms  as  grazing  land. 

Chemical  Composition  and  Management. — The  analysis  of  this 
type  of  soil  shows  it  to  contain  on  the  average  from  900  to  1000 


*See  Bulletin  No.  272  of  the  Wisconsin  Experiment  Station  on 
“Keep  Hillsides  from  Washing”  for  suggestions  for  controlling  erosion. 


28 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


pounds  of  phosphorus,  about  2700  pounds  of  nitrogen,  and 
35,000  pounds  of  potassium  per  acre  to  the  depth  of  eight  inches. 
Acidity  is  quite  general  in  the  surface  soil  of  the  hilltops  and 
upper  slopes  of  the  hills,  but  the  acidity  which  would  naturally 
develop  on  the  lower  slopes  is  often  neutralized  by  lime  brought 
down  by  the  seepage  of  water  over  the  limestone  underlying  the 
surface  soil  of  these  hills.  The  growth  of  clover  and  alfalfa 
which  is  extremely  important  as  a means  of  increasing  the  nitro- 
gen and  organic  matter  of  this  soil  therefore  requires  the  use  of 
lime  in  some  form  quite  generally. 

As  indicated  by  the  chemical  analysis  the  total  content  of 
phosphorus  in  this  soil  is  not  high  and  the  proper  use  of  phos- 
phorus fertilizers  supplementing  the  natural  supply  along  with 
the  growth  of  clover  or  other  legume  for  increasing  the  organic 
matter  will  be  found  to  be  the  best  means  of  increasing  the 
fertility  of  this  type  of  soil. 

Erosion. — The  roughness  of  the  land  occupied  by  this  type  of 
soil  leads  to  a large  amount  of  erosion  or  side  hill  wash.  This 
erosion  develops  gulleys  which  interfere  seriously  or  even  pre- 
vent the  working  of  the  fields  and  removes  a great  deal  of  fertil- 
ity by  taking  off  the  finest  part  of  the  soil  including  the  organic 
matter.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  therefore  that  owners  of 
land  of  this  type  prevent  erosion  just  as  far  as  possible.  The 
best  means  of  lessening  erosion  consist  in  keeping  the  side  hills 
in  grass  for  hay  or  pasture  as  much  as  possible,  and  at  any  rate, 
of  raising  but  one  crop  of  corn  or  other  tilled  crop  in  each  period 
of  rotation.  If  a rotation  for  the  side  hills  consisting  of  corn 
one  year,  which  is  sown  to  rye  at  the  last  cultivation,  and  then 
seeded  to  clover  with  timothy  one  or  two  years  following  the 
grain,  and  then  used  as  pasture  for  two  or  three  years  before 
being  again  broken,  the  erosion  is  greatly  reduced.  Corn  can 
be  grown  in  this  way  one  year  on  the  sod  with  much  less  erosion 
than  would  result  the  following  year  if  it  were  again  planted  to 
this  crop. 

The  fields  on  side  hills  should  be  laid  out  as  long  narrow 
fields  along  the  slope  and  so  arranged  that  the  dead  furrows  of 
the  lands,  which  should  be  very  narrow,  can  be  opened  into  side 
ditches  which  are  kept  grassed. 

Many  farms  in  this  section  include  some  land  in  the  valley 
which  suffers  but  little  from  erosion,  as  well  as  a good  deal  on 
the  side  hills.  In  such  cases  two  systems  of  crop  rotation 


GROUPS  OF  HEAVY,  LIGHT  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  29 


should  be  followed.  One  as  suggested  on  the  steeper  land,  and 
another  on  the  low  land  in  which  the  land  is  laid  out  in  two 
fields  to  be  cropped  alternately  to  corn  and  alfalfa  for  three  or 
four  years.  A large  part  of  the  manure  on  the  farm  may  be  ap- 
plied to  the  corn  for  all  excepting  the  last  year  it  is  grown  in 
rotation.  This  should  be  supplemented  with  some  form  of 
phosphorus,  probably  raw  rock  phosphate  being  best  for  that 
use,  thoroughly  incorporating  it  with  the  manure.  If  in  ad- 
dition to  this  the  land  is  kept  free  from  acidity  maximum  crops 
•of  corn  and  alfalfa  may  be  grown  on  the  more  level  land.  Then 
by  keeping  the  side  hills  free  from  acidity  by  use  of  lime  or 
ground  limestone  and  moderate  applications  of  soluble  phos- 
phate fertilizer  and  growing  of  clover  or  other  legume  in  the 
rotation,  the  fertility  of  the  side  hills  can  be  maintained  with 
relatively  little  manure.  But  light  dressings  of  well  rotted 
manure  will  be  found  very  helpful  in  improving  pasture  on  this 
land.  It  must  be  remembered  that  continual  pasturing  of  land 
alone  does  not  maintain  the  fertility  but  leads  toward  its  deple- 
tion, and  it  is  only  by  giving  the  pasture  some  attention  as 
above  suggested  that  the  great  profits  which  may  come  from 
first  class  pasturage  can  be  expected. 

BOONE  LOAM. 

Boone  loam  is  confined  to  the  southwestern  section  of  the 
county  and  it  is  closely  associated  with  Knox  silt  loam  and 
Boone  fine  sandy  loam.  Its  extent  is  small,  and  the  individual 
areas  are  comparatively  unimportant. 

The  surface  soil  of  Boone  loam  has  an  average  depth  of  about 
10  inches,  and  consists  of  a light-brown  or  grayish  silt  loam, which 
contains  ‘ only  a comparatively  small  amount  of  organic  matter 
It  is  underlain  by  a lighter  colored  loam  or  fine  sandy  loam, 
which  gradually  becomes  heavier  with  depth  and  grades  into  a 
sandy  clay  at  about  2 feet.  This  heavy  subsoil  extends  to  a 
depth  of  3 feet  or  more  where  the  rock  occurs  at  considerable 
depth,  or  it  may  grade  into  a fine  sandy  loam  or  fine  sand 
where  the  rock  is  within  3 feet  of  the  surface,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case.  Immediately  over  the  rock  the  subsoil  frequently  has 
a mottled  reddish  color.  The  type  as  a whole  is  quite  variable, 
but  averages  a loam  in  texture.  An  acid  condition  in  the  sur- 
face soil  is  quite  general. 

The  surface  of  the  type  is  rolling,  and  there  is  some  danger 


30 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


of  erosion  on  the  steepest  slopes.  The  natural  drainage  is  good, 
and  excessive  where  the  rock  is  near  the  surface. 

This  soil  is  of  residual  origin.  It  is  derived  largely  from  the 
underlying  rock  formations,  which  are  limestone  and  sandstone. 
It  is  probable  that  a small  part  has  been  derived  from  the  loessil 
material  entering  into  the  composition  of  Knox  silt  loam.  The 
sandstone  has  contributed  largely  to  its  formation. 

The  natural  timber  growth  consisted  of  several  varities  of  oak, 
hickory,  basswood,  birch,  and  some  poplar.  The  merchantable 
timber  has  been  removed,  but  a large  part  of  the  type  is  still  un- 
cleared. 

About  one-third  of  this  type  is  under  cultivation,  and  it  is 
largely  devoted  to  general  farming,  like  the  Knox  silt  loam, 
with  which  it  is  associated.  The  steep  land  is  used  only  for 
pasturage.  Corn  yields  average  about  30  bushels,  oats  32 
bushels,  barley  30  bushels,  and  hay  about  1 ton  per  acre.  The 
methods  of  cultivation,  crop  rotation,  and  fertilization  fol- 
lowed are  practically  the  same  as  on  the  Knox  silt  loam,*  and 
this  soil  responds  to  the  same  treatment. 

*See  page  27  for  Chemical  composition  and  management  of  Knox 
silt  loam. 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  31 


CHAPTER  III. 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS. 

CARRINGTON  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution. — Carrington  silt  loam  with  its  shal- 
low phase  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  highly  prized  soils 
in  the  State.  In  Dane  connty  the  largest  area  occurs  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county,  in  Bristol,  Windsor,  Vienna,  Dane, 
Burke,  and  Springfield  Townships.  Extensive  tracts  lay  north, 
northeast,  and  northwest  of  Madison.  This  type  is  also  en- 
countered in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county  in  Dunkirk, 
Albion,  and  Christiana  Townships.  A few  smaller  areas  are 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  central  and  eastern  portion  of  the 
county.  Carrington  silt  loam  is  closely  associated  with  its  shal- 
low phase,  and  grades  into  it  so  gradually  that  a boundary  be- 
tween the  type  and  the  phase  is  often  difficult  to  establish  and  is 
always  more  or  less  arbitrary. 

Description. — The  soil  of  Carrington  silt  loam  to  an  average 
depth  of  about  12  or  14  inches,  consists  of  a dark-brown  to  almost 
black  silt  loam,  having  a smooth  feel  and  containing  large 
quantities  of  organic  matter.  Litmus  tests  indicate  that  the 
surface  soil  is  in  an  acid  condition.  The  subsoil  consists  of  a 
dingy-brown  silt  loam  in  the  upper  part,  becoming  lighter  in 
color  and  heavier  in  texture  with  depth,  until  at  22  to  26  inches 
there  is  a yellowish-brown,  compact  silty  clay  loam,  in  which 
the  silt  content  is  very  high.  This  heavy  subsoil  usually  ex- 
tends to  a depth  greater  than  three  feet,  and  ranges  from  2 to  8 
feet  in  thickness.  The  entire  soil  section  is  practically  free 
from  gravel  stones,  and  bowlders,  and  is  remarkably  uniform  in 
structure  and  texture.  Immediately  below  this  silty  or  loess- 
like mantle  the  typical  glacial  till,  consisting  of  clay,  silt,  sand, 
and  gravel,  is  encountered.  The  line  of  demarcation  between 


32 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


the  yellow  or  yellowish-brown  silty  clay  loam ' and  the  glacial 
till  is  well  defined,  the  upper  part  being  free  from  bowlders 
and  gravel  and  leached  free  of  calcium  carbonate,  while  the  till 
is  filled  with  stones  and  bowlders  and  is  well  supplied  with  cal- 
cium carbonate. 

A number  of  variations  occur  in  Carrington  silt  loam,  but 
only  the  shallow  phase,  described  later,  is  of  sufficient  extent 
and  importance  to  be  indicated  on  the  soil  map.  Where  this 
type  borders  Miami  silt  loam  the  color  is  somewhat  lighter  and 
there  is  less  organic  matter  present.  Where  it  borders  Miami 
fine,  sandy  loam  or  Carrington  fine  sandy  loam  there  is  usually 
more  fine  sand  in  the  surface  soil  and  the  subsoil  than  is  typical. 
Bordering  Clyde  silt  loam  a gradation  appears  in  the  weather- 
ing of  the  subsoil,  passing  from  the  dark  or  drab  subsoil  of  the 
Clyde  to  the  dingy  brown  or  yellow  of  the  Carrington.  The 
water  table  becomes  lower,  and  the  soil  oxidation  is  more  marked 
with  improved  drainage  conditions.  Over  some  of  the  higher 
elevations  of  this  soil  the  silty  loess-like  covering  is  rather  shal- 
low, but  the  depth  to  underlying  rock  ranges  from  10  to  50  feet 
through  the  type. 

Carrington  silt  loam  resembles  Miami  silt  loam  and  Knox  silt 
loam  in  texture,  but  is  much  darker  in  color,  while  it  is  about 
the  same  color  as  the  Dodge ville  silt  loam. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  surface  of  this  type  varies 
from  level  to  undulating  and  in  some  places  gently  rolling.  The 
slopes  are  long  and  gentle,  and  there  is  seldom  any  damage  from 
erosion.  In  most  places  the  surface  has  a sufficient  slope  to  pro- 
vide good  natural  drainage,  but  in  the  level  areas  the  drainage 
is  somewhat  deficient  and  tiling  is  needed. 

Origin. — Carrington  silt  loam  is  derived  from  the  weathering 
of  the  loess-like  covering  over-lying  the  glacial  till.  The  extreme 
silty  material  has  a depth  of  2 to  8 feet,  and  between  this  and 
the  underlying  typical  glacial  till  there  is  a sharp  line  of  de- 
marcation. The  gravel,  stones,  and  bowlders  in  the  drift  are 
largely  of  limestone,  and,  while  the  soil  is  in  an  acid  condition, 
the  deep  subsoil  composed  of  till  is  not  acid  and  contains  a large 
amount  of  carbonate  of  lime. 

Native  vegetation. — Carrington  silt  loam  is  a typical  prairie 
soil,  and  the  native  growth  consisted  almost  entirely  of  prairie 
grasses,  with  some  oak,  maple,  and  hickory  near  the  boundaries 
of  other  types  and  along  streams. 


VIEW  OF  CARRINGTON  SILT  LOAM.  SHOWING  SURFACE  FEATURES  BUILDINGS,  ETC.,  TYPICAL  OF  THE  BLACK 

PRAIRIE  LANDS  OF  SOUTHEASTERN  WISCONSIN. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey.  Plate  III. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey.  Plate  IV. 


These  two  lines  of  farming  are  extensively  developed  in  Dane  County.  Tobacco  growing,  however,  is  gradually  giving  way  to 
the  more  extensive  development  of  the  dairy  industry 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  33 


Present  agricultural  development. — Practically  all  of  this  soil 
is  under  cultivation.  There  is  only  a very  small  acreage  of 
waste  land,  the  percentage  being  probably  smaller  than  for  any 
other  type  in  the  county.  The  principal  type  of  agriculture  fol- 
lowed on  this  soil  is  general  farming.  In  some  localities  dairy- 
ing is  practiced  extensively,  and  the  tendency  seems  to  be  to- 
ward the  more  extensive  development  of  this  industry.  To- 
bacco is  a very  important  special  crop  on  this  soil. 

This  soil  is  well  adapted  to  corn,  producing  an  average  of  45 
bushels  per  acre.  Where  the  best  methods  of  farming  are  fol- 
lowed much  larger  yields  are  obtained,  the  production  of  60  to 
70  bushels  being  not  uncommon.  Oats  yield  40  to  45  bushels, 
with  considerable  higher  yields  under  good  management.  Some 
barley  is  grown,  with  yields  of  35  to  40  bushels.  The  acreage 
of  wheat  is  very  small.  The  quality  of  the  small  grains  is  not 
quite  so  good  as  is  produced  on  the  light-colored  silt  loam,  such 
as  Miami  silt  loam.  Hay,  consisting  of  timothy  and  clover, 
yields  l1/*.  to  2 y2  tons  per  acre.  Alfalfa  is  grown  to  a limited 
extent.  As  this  soil  is  usually  acid  some  difficulty  is  often  ex- 
perienced in  getting  a good  stand,  but  where  properly  prepared 
alfalfa  does  very  well,  and  the  acreage  is  gradually  increasing, 
especially  where  dairying  is  carried  on. 

Tobacco  is  the  most  important  special  crop  grown  on  this  soil 
and  it  receives  a great  deal  of  attention,  especially  in  the  south- 
eastern and  northcentral  parts  of  the  county.  Yields  range  from 
1,200  to  1,600  pounds  per  acre.  Sugar  beets  yield  12  to  18  tons 
per  acre  and  are  grown  quite  extensively,  especially  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county.  The  sugar  content  is  not  quite  so 
high  as  from  beets  grown  on  Miami  silt  loam,  but  the  yield  is 
greater. 

The  rotation  of  crops  is  given  less  attention  on  this  soil  than 
on  some  of  the  other  soils  of  the  county.  One  reason  for  this  is 
that  tobacco  receives  so  much  attention  that  frequently  other 
crops  are  somewhat  neglected.  Tobacco  is  usually  grown  on  the 
same  field  for  a number  of  years,  and  seldom  in  rotation. 
Where  alternated  with  general  farm  crops  the  rotation  gen- 
erally followed  consists  of  corn  followed  by  small  grains  seeded 
to  timothy  and  clover,  and  then  tobacco  two  to  four  years,  fol- 
lowed by  corn. 

Because  of  the  tendency  to  concentrate  interest  on  the  tobacco 
to  the  neglect  of  the  remainder  of  the  farm,  the  general  methods 


34 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


of  farming  practiced  in  the  tobacco-growing  sections  are  not  of 
so  high  a standard  as  in  many  regions  of  inferior  soils  where 
tobacco  is  not  grown.  The  yields  of  the  general  farm  crops  are, 
therefore,  hardly  a fair  indication  of  what  this  soil  is  capable  of 
producing  under  the  best  methods  of  farming. 

Carrington  silt  loam  is  not  a difficult  soil  to  cultivate,  and  a 
mellow  seed  bed  can  be  readily  worked  up.  There  is  a general 
need,  however,  for  more  thorough  cultivation.  Stable  manure 
is  the  only  fertilizer  used  with  the  general  farm  crops,  and  with 
tobacco  it  is  used  to  a greater  extent  than  any  other  form  of 
fertilizer.  Twenty  to  forty  loads  per  acre  are  often  applied  to 
the  tobacco  field.  The  supply  is  not  ample,  however,  and  a 
large  part  of  most  farms  receives  too  little  stable  manure.  The 
practice  of  plowing  under  green-manuring  crops  is  not  common 
as  it  should  be. 

On  account  of  the  level  topography,  drainage  is  not  always  as 
good  as  might  be  desired.  Over  the  extensive  level  or  undulat- 
ing tracts  tile  drains  are  needed.  A system  of  tile  drainage 
would  permit  the  soil  to  warm  up  earlier  in  the  spring,  so  that 
crops  may  be  planted  sooner.  Well-drained  land  works  up  more 
readily  into  a mellow  seed  bed  and  permits  a more  rapid,  vigor- 
ous growth. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Carrington  silt  loam  is  in  an  acid  con- 
dition, and  responds  to  the  application  of  ground  limestone  at 
the  rate  of  1,500  to  2,000  pounds  per  acre.  With  such  treat- 
ment and  the  inoculation  of  the  soil  alfalfa  can  be  grown  suc- 
cessfully. This  is  a very  valuable  crop  particularly  where 
dairying  is  practiced. 

Farms  on  typical  Carrington  silt  loam  range  in  value  from 
$110  to  $175  an  acre,  depending  on  location  and  improvements. 
In  the  tobacco-growing  sections  land  in  small  tracts  frequently 
sells  for  as  much  as  $200  to  $300  per  acre. 

Carrington  silt  loam , shallow  phase. — Carington  silt  loam, 
shallow  phase,  is  found  most  extensively  in  the  southeastern  sec- 
tions, in  Cottage  Grove,  Deerfield,  Pleasant  Spring,  Christiana, 
Dunkirk,  and  Albion  Townships.  Other  scattered  areas  of 
smaller  extent  are  found  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county  in 
Sun  Prairie,  Burke,  Westport,  Vienna,  Springfield,  and  Dane 
Townships. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  shallow  phase  is  similar  to  that  of  the 
typical  soil,  consisting  of  a dark  brown  to  black  silt  loam  of 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  35 


about  12  inches  depth.  There  is  frequently  present  in  the  sur- 
face soil  some  fine  sand  and  a small  quantity  of  fine  gravel.  The 
chief  point  of  variation  is  in  the  subsoil.  In  the  shallow  phase 
the  covering  of  extremely  silty  material  over  the  glacial  till  is  of 
considerable  less  depth  than  in  the  typical  soil.  The  subsoil 
consists  of  a brown  or  yellowish  brown  silt  loam  or  silty  clay 
loam  containing  in  places  a small  quantity  of  fine  sand.  Below 
20  to  24  inches  there  is  usually  a yellow  sandy  clay  which  grades 
into  the  typical  glacial  till  consisting  of  a mixture  of  sand,  silt, 
clay  and  gravel.  The  depth  to  bed  rock  is  usually  less  than  in 
the  case  of  the  typical  soil,  but  this  is  seldom  an  important 
factor,  since  the  covering  of  soil  over  rock  is  sufficient  except  in 
a few  instances. 

The  surface  of  the  phase  averages  a little  more  rolling  than 
the  typical  soil,  varying  from  undulating  to  rolling.  It  is  of 
the  same  origin  as  the  typical  soil,  however,  a larger  portion  is 
undoubtedly  derived  from  the  weathering  of  glacial  till. 

Probably  over  80  percent  of  this  jfliase  of  the  Carrington  silt 
loam  is  under  cultivation,  and  the  remainder  is  chiefly  devoted 
to  permanent  pasture.  The  same  crops  are  grown  as  on  the 
typical  soil,  but  the  shallow  phase  is  slightly  less  desirable  for 
agriculture,  and  the  yields  average  a little  lower.  The  same 
conditions  as  to  crop  rotations,  methods  of  cultivation  and  fer- 
tilization prevail  as  on  the  typical  soil,  and  the  suggestions  for 
management  of  the  main  type  apply  to  this  phase. 

Chemical  composition  and  management —A  chemical  analysis 
of  this  tpye  of  soil  shows  it  to  contain  on  an  average  about  1600 
pounds  of  phosphorous,  between  4800  and  6000  pounds  of 
nitrogen,  and  aproximately  40,000  pounds  of  potassium  per  acre 
to  the  depth  of  eight  inches.  It  is  relatively  high  in  organic 
matter  as  the  dark  or  nearly  black  color  indicates.  This  rel- 
actively  large  supply  of  organic  matter  is  the  result  of  its  prairie 
origin.  This  supply  of  organic  matter  together  with  the  fine 
texture  and  large  amount  of  lime  in  the  subsoil  gives  this  type 
a very  high  degree  of  fertility,  and  wherever  the  original  fer- 
tility of  the  land  has  been  protected  by  proper  management  it 
is  still  an  exceedingly  productive  soil.  In  some  cases,  however, 
this  land  has  been  used  largely  for  the  growing  of  grain  and 
other  crops  which  for  the  most  part  have  been  sowed  for  so  many 
years  that  the  original  fertility  has  been  greatly  depleted,  al- 
though the  soil  under  this  condition  $till  retains  its  dark  color, 


36  SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 

the  organic  matter  which  is  left  is  of  a very  resistent  character 
and  does  not  decompose  readily  to  furnish  the  nitrogen  or  other 
elements  needed  by  growing  crops.  The  soil  under  these  con- 
ditions has  also  become  quite  generally  acid,  probably  to  a con- 
siderable extent  on  account  of  the  decomposition  of  the  vegetable 
matter.  When  this  soil  is  found  to  be  at  all  low  in  fertility  it 
must  be  improved  by  the  addition  of  phosphorus  and  active  or- 
ganic matter,  preferably  through  the  growth  of  clover  or  alfalfa 
returned  to  the  soil  either  in  stable  manure  or  plowed  under  as 
a green  manure. 

The  relatively  large  amount  of  organic  matter  in  this  soil,  its 
comparatively  level  surface  and  high  degree  of  fertility  adapt 
it  especially  to  corn  and  other  crops  which  require  large 
amounts  of  plant  food.  This  soil  can  be  retained  in  an  ex- 
ceptionally high  state  of  fertility  more  readily  than  most  types 
of  soil. 

As  a rule  this  soil  has  good  surface  and  under  drainage  but 
some  level  areas  would  be  benefited  by  tile,  which  would  give- 
perfect  under  drainage. 

WAUKESHA  SILT  LOAM. 

The  main  occurrences  of  Waukesha  silt  loam  are  in  the  valley 
of  Black  Earth  Creek,  north  of  Oregon  and  east  and  west  of 
Verona.  Other  patches  are  encountered  along  Koshkonong 
Creek,  about  Lake  Kegonsa,  and  in  Rutland  Township. 

The  soil  of  Waukesha  silt  loam  to  an  average  depth  of  10 
inches  consists  of  a dark-brown  to  black  friable  silt  loam  which 
contains  a high  percentage  of  organic  matter.  The  content  of 
silt  is  high  and  the  soil  has  a very  smooth  feel.  The  upper  sub- 
soil consists  of  a dark-brown  silt  loam  which  contains  an  ap- 
preciable amount  of  fine  sand.  At  about  16  inches  the  color  is 
brown.  Below  this  depth  the  material  is  a yellowish-brown  silt 
loam  to  a depth  of  4 to  6 feet,  where  stratified  beds  of  sand  and 
gravel  are  encountered.  The  lower  part  of  the  subsoil  is  fre- 
quently drab  or  yellowish  in  color  and  contains  some  fine  sand. 

The  surface  of  the  type  is  level  to  very  gently  undulating,  and 
there  is  sometimes  a very  gentle  slope  toward  the  stream  or  body 
of  water  along  which  it  is  developed.  The  natural  drainage  is 
usually  fair,  but  there  are  a number  of  places  where  it  is  some- 
what deficient. 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS.  37 


The  most  marked  variation  in  this  soil  occurs  between  Oak 
Hall  and  Oregon,  where  the  underlying  beds  of  sand  and  gravel 
are  within  2 feet  of  the  surface  in  a few  small  areas.  The  sur- 
face soil  in  such  places  contains  more  fine  sand  than  typical, 
but  not  enough  for  the  material  to  be  classed  as  a fine  sandy 
loam.  , 

The  main  part  of  this  type,  in  the  valley  of  Black  Earth  Creek, 
occurs  as  an  outwash  plain.  Most  of  the  course  of  this  stream  is 
outside  the  glaciated  region,  but  the  material  forming  the  soil 
was  carried  beyond  the  glacial  border  by  waters  rushing  from 
beneath  the  ice  sheet.  In  other  parts  of  the  county  this  soil  oc- 
cupies outwash  plains,  lake  and  stream  terraces.  The  parent 
material  is  from  the  glaciated  limestone  region,  and  most  of  the 
gravel  in  the  deep  subsoil  consists  of  limestone.  The  surface  of 
the  entire  type,  however,  is  in  an  acid  condition.  After  its  first 
deposition  the  moist  conditions  which  prevailed  favored  a rank 
growth  of  vegetation,  and  the  growth  and  decay  of  this  accounts 
for  the  dark  color  and  high  organic-matter  content  of  the  soil. 
Part  of  this  soil  was  prairie  land,  and  prairie  grasses  constituted 
the  chief  growth.  There  was  some  timber,  consisting  chiefly  of 
oak,  some  elm,  ash,  and  soft  maple,  where  the  drainage  was  de- 
ficient. 

Nearly  all  of  Waukesha  silt  loam  is  under  cultivation  and  in 
a high  state  of  productiveness.  The  greater  part  of  the  type  is 
devoted  to  general  farming.  Corn  yields  40  to  70  bushels,  oats 
40  to  65  bushels,  barley  35  to  45  bushels,  and  timothy  and  clover 
mixed  iy2  to  2 tons  of  hay  per  acre.  In  the  southeastern  sec- 
tion considerable  tobacco  is  grown  on  this  soil  and  yields  of  1,200 
to  1,800  pounds  per  acre  are  obtained. 

The  value  of  land  of  this  type  usually  ranges  from  $100  to 
$200  an  acre.  Where  tobacco  is  grown,  small  tracts  are  held  at 
about  $300  per  acre. 

Chemical  composition  and  management. — This  soil  is  one 
naturally  having  high  fertility.  The  chemical  analysis  shows 
that  it  averages  between  4,000  and  6,000  pounds  of  nitrogen, 
1,200  to  1,400  pounds  of  phosphorous,  and  approximately 
30,000  pounds  of  potassium  per  acre  to  the  depth  of  eight 
inches.  The  presence  of  the  rather  large  amount  of  prganic  mat- 
ter has  lead  to  the  leaching  of  a large  part  of  the  lime  from 
surface  soil  which  has  brought  about  the  development  of  acidity. 
This  condition  has  its  most  marked  effect  on  the  growth  of  al- 


38 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


falfa,  clover,  peas,  and  other  legumes.  For  these  crops  liming 
will  be  found  very  helpful  on  most  of  this  type,  but  liming  will 
also  be  beneficial  because  of  its  influence  on  availability  of  phos- 
phorus. This  element  is  usually  less  available  in  acid  than 
non-acid  soils.  Land  which  has  been  cropped  a number  of  years 
without  the  use  of  stable  manure  or  other  fertilizers  will  be 
found  rather  low  in  available  phosporous  and  the  use  of  some 
form  of  fertilizer  containing  that  element  will  add  materially 
to  the  fertility. 

This  soil  is  well  adapted  to  general  farming  and  is  particu- 
larly adapted  to  special  crops,  such  as  sugar  beets  and  tobacco. 
When  these  crops  are  grown  the  use  of  lime  and  commercial  fer- 
tilizers will  be  highly  desirable,  since  considerable  amounts  of 
fertility  are  removed  by  these  crops. 

Some  fields  of  this  type  of  soil  do  not  have  adequate  under- 
drainage and  tiling  would  be  a great  improvement  on  land  of 
this  kind. 


DODGE VILLE  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution. — Dodgeville  silt  loam  is  confined  to 
the  prairie  regions  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county.  It 
has  a total  area  of  51  square  miles,  and  is  one  of  the  important 
soils  of  the  region. 

Description. — The  surface  soil  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  has  an 
average  depth  of  12  inches.  It  consists  of  a dark  brown  or 
black  silt  loam  with  a relatively  high  percentage  of  organic  mat- 
ter. The  soil  is  free  from  all  coarse  particles  such  as  coarse 
sand,  gravel,  or  stones,  and  the  texture  is  remarkably  uniform. 
The  subsoil  consists  of  a yellowish-brown  heavy  silt  loam  which 
grades  into  a silty  clay  loam  at  about  20  inches.  Below  this 
depth  the  color  is  a more  pronounced  yellow.  Limestone  rock 
occurs  underlying  this  soil  at  an  average  depth  of  about  4 feet. 
Outcrops  on  hillsides  are  quite  common.  Where  the  depth  is 
less  than  4 feet,  the  subsoil  frequently  has  a reddish  or  yellow- 
brown  color,  due  to  the  presence  of  material  derived  from  the 
weathering  of  the  limestone.  With  this  part  of  the  subsoil  there 
may  be  a few  rock  fragments  which  have  resisted  weathering. 
Litmus-paper  tests  indicate  that  the  soil  is  in  an  acid  condition. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  surface  varies  from  gently 
undulating  to  rolling,  though  the  greater  part  of  the  type  com- 
prises gently  rolling  prairie  land.  The  natural  drainage  is 


VIEW  SHOWING  WAUKESHA  SILT  LOAM,  WITH  KNOX  SILT  LOAM  OCCUPYING  THE  HIGHER  LAND  IN  THE  BACK- 
GROUND. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


a 

’w 

s 

o 

S 


<1-1  o 
o 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS 


39 


usually  well  established,  but  on  some  of  the  more  gentle  slopes 
it  is  probable  that  tile  drains  might  be  installed  to  advantage. 
On  the  steeper  slopes  there  is  some  damage  from  erosion,  but 
this  can  be  held  in  check  by  exercising  care  in  cultivation  and 
in  the  selection  of  crops. 

Origin. — Dodgeville  silt  loam  is  derived  mainly  from  the 
weathering  of  the  underlying  limestone.  Possibly  the  surface 
material  is  of  loessial  origin.  On  some  of  the  hillsides  the  sur- 
face material  has  been  removed  by  erosion  and  the  reddish, 
residual  material  usually  found  just  above  the  limestone  is  ex- 
posed. This  material  is  also  frequently  seen  in  road  cuts.  The 
small  part  of  this  type  mapped  in  the  south  central  section  of 
the  county  where  the  p re- Wisconsin  glacial  drift  is  found  may 
differ  slightly  in  origin  from  the  remainder  of  the  type.  The 
old  glacial  drift  appears  to  be  very  thin,  and  the  soil  is  prac- 
tically the  same  as  in  the  driftless  area.  A few  crystalline 
bowlders  occur  in  this  region,  and  their  presence  is  usually  the 
only  indication  of  glacial  action. 

Native  vegetation. — Dodgeville  silt  loam  is  a prairie  soil,  and 
the  native  growth  consisted  chiefly  of  prairie  grasses.  There 
were  a few  trees  on  some  of  the  steeper  slopes  and  along  the 
border  of  other  types  of  soil. 

Present  agricultural  development  * — Probably  95  per  cent  of 
this  type  is  under  cultivation,  the  remainder  being  in  perma- 
nent pasture.  The  type  of  agriculture  most  extensively  followed 
consists  of  general  farming  and  dairying.  Corn  yields  40  bush- 
els, oats  35  bushels,  barley  30  bushels,  wheat  15  bushels,  and 
clover  and  timothy  mixed  about  iy2  to  2 tons  of  hay  per  acre. 
Yields  of  1,000  to  1,700  pounds  of  tobacco  per  acre  are  reported, 
but  this  crop  is  not  grown  as  extensively  as  in  former  years. 
The  rotation  most  commonly  followed  consists  of  corn,  which 
may  be  grown  two  or  three  years,  followed  by  a small-grain  crop 
possibly  for  two  or  three  years,  after  which  the  land  is  seeded 
to  timothy  and  clover  and  cut  for  hay  for  at  least  two  years. 
Frequently  the  fields  are  pastured  for  a year  or  more  before 
again  being  plowed  for  corn.  The  tendency  is  to  reduce  the 
length  of  the  rotation  by  growing  corn  for  only  one  year,  grain 
for  about  two  years,  and  hay  for  only  two  years.  Better  results 
are  obtained  by  such  a system. 


*For  chemical  composition  and  management  see  page  4 2. 


40 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


Dodgeville  silt  loam  is  a rather  heavy  soil,  but  when  culti- 
vated under  the  most  favorable  moisture  conditions  little  diffi- 
culty is  experienced  in  getting  a mellow  seed  bed.  On  some  of 
the  steeper  slopes  the  heavy  subsoil  is  exposed,  and  this  is  more 
difficult  to  handle.  Barnyard  manure  is  the  only  fertilizer  used, 
and  it  is  most  frequently  applied  to  sod  which  is  to  be  plowed 
for  corn. 

Farms  on  the  Dodgeville  silt  loam  have  a value  of  $75  to  $150 
or  more  an  acre,  depending  upon  location  and  improvements. 

DODGEVILLE  SILT  LOAM,  SHALLOW  PHASE. 

Extent  and  distribution. — This  soil  is  confined  to  the  south- 
western part  of  the  county.  It  has  a total  area  of  about  11 
square  miles.  The  greater  part  of  the  phase  being  located  in  a 
large  continuous  tract  east  and  southeast  of  Perry. 

Description. — The  surface  soil  of  the  Dodgeville  silt  loam, 
shallow  phase,  is  about  10  inches  deep.  It  consists  of  a dark- 
brown  or  almost  black  silt  loam  which  contains  a high  percent- 
age of  organic  matter.  Large  quantities  of  fine  sand  are  pres- 
ent in  the  surface  soil,  and  small  fragments  of  chert  are  common. 

The  upper  part  of  the  subsoil  is  a heavy  silt  loam,  consider- 
ably lighter  in  color  than  the  surface  soil.  At  about  16  inches 
this  grades  into  a reddish-brown  clay  loam  containing  numer- 
ous chert  fragments.  With  increasing  depth  this  grades  into  a 
heavy  clay  loam  or  clay,  and  the  chert  fragments  become  more 
numerous.  The  usual  depth  to  bedrock  varies  from  2 to  3 feet, 
though  outcrops  along  the  slopes  are  quite  common.  Within 
a few  inches  of  the  underlying  rock,  which  is  limestone,  the 
color  is  variegated,  being  characteristic  of  the  decomposed  rock. 
Small  pockets  of  sand  in  the  subsoil  are  common,  and  in  a few 
small  patches  the  surface  material  is  a fine  sandy  loam.  Such 
areas  usually  occur  on  the  slopes,  but  are  too  small  to  be  in- 
dicated on  the  soil  map.  Where  large  enough  to  be  mapped  the 
fine  sandy  loam  is  recognized. 

A lighter  phase  of  this  type,  covering  about  a square  mile, 
occurs  about  2 miles  west  of  Verona.  The  soil  consists  of  a 
dark-brown  or  black  loam  or  heavy  fine  sandy  loam,  and  the  sub- 
soil is  a yellowish-brown  loam  or  clay  loam,  with  numerous  small 
patches  where  the  subsoil  is  a fine  sandy  loam.  While  the  depth 
to  rock  may  be  3 feet  or  more  it  probably  averages  about  2 feet, 
and  the  phase  is  more  droughty  than  the  typical  soil.  Both  soil 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS 


41 


and  subsoil  are  variable,  and  the  value  of  the  lighter  phase,  as 
farming  land  is  lower  than  that  of  the  main  type. 

Topography  and  drainage . — The  topography  of  Dodgeville 
silt  loam,  shallow  phase,  varies  from  gently  undulating  to  roll- 
ing. The  undulating  areas  occur  as  ridge  tops,  while  the  roll- 
ing surface  is  found  where  streams  have  worked  back  into  the 
type,  carving  valleys  and  leaving  ridges,  along  the  slopes  of 
which  outcrops  frequently  occur.  The  natural  drainage  is  well 
established,  and  where  the  soil  is  most  shallow  it  is  somewhat  ex- 
cessive. On  the  steeper  slopes  there  is  some  danger  of  orosion. 

Origin. — This  soil  is  derived  from  the  weathering  of  the  un- 
derlying limestone.  The  dark  color  is  doubtless  due  to  the  de- 
cay of  a rank  growth  of  grasses  under  moist  conditions. 

Native  vegetation. — Dodgeville  silt  loam,  shallow  phase,  is  a 
prairie  soil,  and  the  original  vegetation  consisted  chiefly  of 
prairie  grasses,  with  only  a scattered  growth  of  timber  along 
some  of  the  slopes  and  bordering  forested  types. 

Present  agricultural  development. — Probably  about  65  per 
cent  of  this  soil  is  under  cultivation,  the  remainder  being  used 
chiefly  as  permanent  pasture.  The  leading  type  of  agriculture 
followed  consists  of  dairying  in  connection  with  general  farming. 

Corn  yields  about  35  bushels,  oats  32  bushels,  barley  about  30 
bushels,  and  hay  1 to  1 y2  tons  per  acre.  A small  acreage  of 
wheat  is  grown  and  fair  yields  are  obtained.  Yields  on  the  soil 
of  the  lighter  phase  west  of  Verona  are  lower  than  these.  Al- 
falfa is  not  grown  to  any  extent,  but  a few  farmers  are  making 
an  effort  to  get  this  legume  started.  The  most  common  rota- 
tion followed  consists  of  corn,  followed  by  small  grain,  with 
which  clover  and  timothy  are  seeded.  As  a rule  the  various 
crops  are  not  rotated  at  close  enough  intervals.  Corn  fre- 
quently is  grown  on  the  same  field  for  two  or  three  years.  This 
phase  is  somewhat  more  difficult  to  cultivate  than  the  typical 
Dodgeville  silt  loam,  chiefly  because  the  surface  soil  is  shallower 
and  the  underlying  heavy  subsoil  is  frequently  turned  up  by 
the  plow,  especially  along  the  slopes  and  on  narrow  ridges. 

Farms  on  the  shallow  phase  have  an  average  value  slightly 
lower  than  farms  on  the  typical  soil,  which  it  closely  resembles. 
The  land  sells  for  $60  to  $100  an  acre,  and  possibly  more  where 
the  location  and  improvements  are  best.  The  value  of  the  light 
phase  is  also  lower  than  that  of  the  typical  soil  and  ranges  from 
$40  to  $70  an  acre. 


42 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  DODGEVILLE  SILT 
LOAM  AND  DODGEVILLE  SILT  LOAM,  SHALLOW  PHASE. 

As  indicated  by  the  dark  color  of  this  soil  it  is  relatively  high 
in  organic  matter  and  nitrogen.  It  averages  5000  pounds  of 
nitrogen  per  acre  to  the  depth  of  eight  inches.  This  is  nearly 
twice  as  great  as  the  average  of  the  Knox  silt  loam,  which  occurs 
in  the  same  region.  The  phosphorous  is  also  relatively  high 
amounting  to  between  1300  and  1400  pounds  per  acre  on  the 
average.  This  supply  of  organic  matter  increases  the  water 
holding  capacity  which  is  good  except  where  the  soil  is  too  shal- 
low over  the  underlying  rock.  It  also  ensures  the  ready 
maintenance  of  good  tilth.  While  this  supply  of  nitrogen  and 
phosphorus  is  relatively  large  it  must  not  be  assumed  that  it  can 
be  drawn  on  for  successive  crops  without  reducing  the  fertility. 
The  system  of  farming  must  ensure  that  the  supply  of  phos- 
phorus and  nitrogen  already  existing  is  maintained  or  even  in- 
creased in  order  to  maintain  or  increase  the  yields  of  crops.  So 
far  as  phosphorus  is  concerned  this  can  be  done  by  the  purchase 
of  relatively  small  amounts  of  phosphorus  fertilizers  regularly. 
Phosphorus  in  this  form  is  much  cheaper  than  in  the  form  of 
feed,  though  if  considerable  bran  is  used  on  account  of  its  food 
value  it  will  make  the  purchase  of  phosphate  fertilizers  less  nec- 
essary. 

The  nitrogen  supply  can  be  maintained  through  the  growth 
of  clover,  alfalfa  or  other  legumes.  On  a farm  on  which  most  of 
the  crops  grown  are  fed  to  stock  and  the  manure  carefully  pre- 
served and  returned  to  the  land  the  nitrogen  supply  can  be 
maintained  when  a quarter  of  the  farm  is  in  clover,  or  in  clover 
and  alfalfa  together,  counting  two  acres  of  alfalfa  equivalent 
to  three  of  clover. 

A large  part  of  this  type  of  soil  is  acid  and  will  be  greatly 
benefited  by  the  use  of  some  form  of  lime.  Since  limestone  un- 
derlies practically  all  this  section  of  country  it  can  be  gotten  out 
and  ground  by  individuals  or  groups  of  farmers  using  small 
limestone  grinders  to  very  good  advantage.*  Ground  limestone 
usually  can  be  purchased  from  local  dealers. 

This  land  varies  in  topography  so  that  while  part  of  it  has 
only  a gentle  slope  a part  has  quite  decided  slopes  and  is  subject 

*See  Bulletin  230,  Soil  Acidity  and  Liming  by  Wisconsin  Experi- 
ment Station. 


GROUP  OF  HEAVY,  DARK  COLORED  UPLAND  SOILS  43 

to  erosion.  Under  these  conditions  it  will  frequently  be  found 
best  to  use  two  systems  of  rotation  of  crops.  On  the  more  level 
portion  corn  and  alfalfa  may  he  grown  alternately,  each  being 
on  the  field  for  three  or  four  years,  while  on  the  more  sloping 
land  but  one  crop  of  corn  should  be  grown  in  the  rotation  to  be 
followed  by  a crop  of  grain  used  as  a nurse  crop  for  clover,  tim- 
othy and  other  grasses  so  that  after  hay  has  been  cut  for  one  or 
two  years  the  field  can  be  used  as  pasture  for  three  or  four 
years  before  it  is  again  broken.  The  methods  of  preventing 
erosion  are  more  fully  discussed  under  the  description  of  the 
Knox  silt  loam.  See  p.  28 ; also  in  a Bulletin  by  the  Experiment 
Station.f 

The  adaptability  of  this  land  to  pasture  and  the  raising  of 
hay  as  well  as  corn  makes  it  very  suitable  for  any  line  of  live 
stock  farming,  but  the  raising  of  small  grain  is  also  practicable 
provided  that  proper  means  for  the  maintenance  of  fertility  arc 
made  use  of. 


Bulletin  272,  Keep  Our  Hillsides  from  Washing. 


44 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


CHAPTER  IV. 


GROUP  OF  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDS. 

Included  in  this  group  are  a number  of  soils  of  relatively 
minor  importance,  the  total  extent  of  which  makes  up  only  one- 
twelfth  of  the  area  of  the  county.  For  the  most  part  they  are 
fine  sandy  loams  and  fine  sands,  and  in  addition  certain  soils 
which  are  of  minor  importance  as  agricultural  lands.  Since 
these  soils  are  adapted  to  special  crops  they  really  have  a 
greater  importance  than  their  extent  would  indicate.  Although 
somewhat  similar  in  texture,  there  is  considerable  variation  in 
origin  of  the  soils  of  this  group.  Miami  fine  sandy  loam  and 
gravelly  sandy  loam,-  Carrington  fine  sandy  loam,  and  Rodman 
gravelly  sandy  loam,  are  glacial  soils  and  occur  in  gently  roll- 
ing, and  sometimes  rough,  areas.  Boone  fine  sandy  loam  and 
Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loam  are  residual  soils  derived  from  the 
weathering  of  sandstone  and  limestone,  and  have  a rolling  to 
broken  topography.  Fox  fine  sandy  loam,  Waukesha  fine 
sandy  loam,  Plainfield  fine  sand,  and  Genesee  fine  sand 
are  of  alluvial  origin,  having  been  deposited  as  stream 
terraces  or  outwash  plains,  and  have  a level  topography. 
Only  the  Genessee  fine  sand  is  subject  to  overflow 
by  flood  waters,  the  other  soils  lying  well  above  the  flood  plain 
of  the  present  streams. 

MIAMI  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

This  type  occurs  most  extensively  in  Dunkirk  and  Rutland 
Townships.  It  is  rather  variable  but  for  the  most  part  the  sur- 
face soil  is  a light  brown  or  grayish,  rather  silty  fine  sandy  loam 
to  a depth  of  10  inches,  underlain  by  yellowish-brown  fine  sandy 
loam  which  gradually  changes  into  a sandy  clay  at  16  to  24 
inches.  Below  2 or  3 feet,  the  subsoil  varies  from  a fine  sand 
to  a gritty  clay  loam.  Limestone  gravel  is  common  in  both  soil 


GROUP  OF  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDS 


45 


and  subsoil,  but  there  is  seldom  sufficient  to  decrease  the  value 
of  the  soil.  In  places  the  surface  soil  is  rather  lighter  than  the 
average,  being  a fine  sand.  The  topography  varies  from  gently 
rolling  to  rolling,  in  places  it  is  hummocky  or  bumpy.  Natural 
drainage  is  well  developed,  in  the  sandy  areas  it  is  sometimes 
excessive  and  the  soil  is  somewhat  droughty.  Erosion  is  seldom 
injurious. 


MIAMI  GRAVELLY  SANDY  LOAM/ 

This  type  is  widely  distributed  over  the  central  and  eastern 
part  of  the  county  where  it  is  closely  associated  with  the  Miami 
fine  sandy  loam  and  Miami  silt  loam.  The  surface  soil  is  a med- 
ium to  dark  yellowish-brown  fine  to  medium  sandy  loam  of  6 to 
19  inches  depth.  There  is  considerable  gravel  on  the  surface 
and  mixed  with  the  soil,  and  in  places  bowlders  are  common. 
The  subsoil  is  a gritty  clay  loam  with  considerable  gravel.  Be- 
low 12  to  18  inches  there  is  a gravelly  sand  containing  varying 
quantities  of  silt  and  clay.  This  soil  occurs  on  the  tops  of 
rounded  hills  or  in  areas  of  rolling  or  somewhat  broken  land. 
Natural  drainage  is  very  good,  in  some  places  excessive,  and  on 
the  steep  slopes  there  is  some  danger  from  erosion.  Because  of 
its  sandy  gravelly  nature  and  topography,  very  little  of  the 
type  is  under  cultivation,  most  of  it  being  in  permanent  pasture. 
A large  part  is  still  timbered. 


RODMAN  GRAVELLY  SANDY  LOAM. 

This  soil  is  very  largely  associated  with  the  Miami  silt  loam. 
The  surface  soil  consists  of  a light-brown  fine  sandy  loam  con- 
taining considerable  gravel.  At  a depth  of  6 to  12  inches  this 
grades  into  stratified  sand  and  gravel  which  extends  to  a depth 
greater  than  three  feet.  The  surface  soil  is  rather  variable,  in 
some  places  being  a loam,  but  it  is  always  shallow  and  underlain 
by  sand  and  gravel.  This  soil  occupies  rolling  to  hilly  areas 
or  it  may  occur  as  long  narrow  ridges.  Because  of  its  sandy 
nature  it  is  extremely  droughty.  This  soil  is  used  only  for 
pasture  and  it  supplies  fairly  good  grazing  for  the  spring  and 
early  summer,  but  the  grass  dries  up  with  the  first  dry  period 
and  affords  little  grazing  during  the  rest  of  the  season.  It  is 
not  suited  to  cultivated  crops. 


46 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


CARRINGTON  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

This  soil  occurs  in  small  scattered  areas  throughout  Carrington 
silt  loam.  The  surface  soil  is  a dark  brown  fine  sandy  loam  of 
about  10  inches  depth.  The  subsoil  is  variable,  but  generally 
consists  of  a yellowish-brown  fine  sandy  loam;  grading  into  a 
sandy  clay  loam.  Varying  amounts  of  gravel  are  common  in 
both  surface  and  subsoil.  In  some  areas  the  bed  rock  is  near  the 
surface  and  outcrops  frequently.  Where  the  soil  is  thin  chert 
and  limestone  fragments  are  common  in  the  subsoil.  This  soil 
occurs  on  thp  tops  of  narrow  ridges,  rounded  hills  and  knolls  and 
has  a sloping  topography.  Natural  drainage  is  somewhat  ex- 
cessive, and  it  is  likely  to  be  droughty,  especially  where  shallow. 

BOONE  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Boone  fine  sandy  loam  is  confined  to  the  southwestern  portion 
of  the  county  where  it  is  associated  with  Knox  silt  loam.  The 
surface  soil  has  an  average  depth  of  about  10  inches  and  con- 
sists of  light  brown  fine  sandy  loam,  rather  low  in  organic  mat- 
ter. The  subsoil  usually  consists  of  a yellowish  fine  sandy  loam 
grading  into  a sandy  clay  at  about  20  inches.  Sandstone  oc- 
curs at  some  depth  frequently  within  3 feet.  Both  soil  and  sub- 
soil are  variable  ranging  from  a fine  sand  to  a loam,  but  fine 
sandy  loam  is  the  predominating  texture.  Frequently  the  sub- 
soil is  quite  sandy  below  18-22  inches.  This  type  usually  oc- 
cupies steep  slopes,  and  ridges  where  sandstone  is  the  underly- 
ing rock.  Drainage  is  good,  and  on  steep  slopes  there  is  con- 
siderable damage  from  erosion.  Only  the  more  gently  sloping 
portions  of  this  type  are  under  cultivation,  the  remainder  serv- 
ing as  grazing  land. 

DODGEVILLE  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loam  occurs  only  in  a few  small  areas 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county  where  it  is  associated 
with  the  Dodgeville  silt  loam.  The  soil  has  an  average  depth  of 
about  10  inches  and  consists  of  a dark  brown  fine  sand  or  fine 
sandy  loam,  which  is  fairly  high  in  organic  matter  and  in  places 
contains  considerable  silt.  The  subsoil  is  a brownish  yellow  fine 
sandy  loam,  with  a small  percentage  of  clay.  Fragments  of 
limestone  and  chert  are  common  in  both  soil  and  subsoil,  and  bed 
rock  i*  usually  encountered  at  depths  of  1 to  2 feet.  Outcrops 


VIEW  LOOKING  NORTHWARD  FROM  NEAR  MAZOMANIE  ACROSS  THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  WISCONSIN  RIVER. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


Wisconsin  Ceol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey.  Plate  VIII. 


This  soil  covers  an  area  of  about  10,000  acres  in  Dane  County. 


GROUP  OF  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDS 


47 


of  the  underlying  rock  are  very  common,  This  type  occurs  on 
ridges  and  slopes  and  for  the  most  part  has  a rolling  or  broken 
topography.  Drainage  is  excessive  and  the  soil  is  apt  to  be 
droughty.  Because  of  the  rocky,  shallow  and  droughty  nature 
it  can  be  used  only  for  grazing  with  the  exception  of  a few  small 
areas  where  the  soil  is  deeper  than  usual.  As  a whole  it  has  a 
very  low  agricultural  value. 

FOX  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Fox  fine  sandy  loam  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  valley  of  the 
Wisconsin  River  and  to  the  south  central  part  of  the  county. 
The  surface  soil  to  an  average  depth  of  about  10  inches  consists 
of  a brown  to  light  brown  fine  sandy  loam.  Litmus-tests  indi- 
cate a slight  acidity  in  places.  The  subsoil  is  a yellow-brown 
heavy  fine  sandy  loam,  becoming  lighter  in  color  with  depth. 
Below  20  inches  is  a yellow  fine  sandy  loam  in  some  places  con- 
tinuing to  3 feet  or  more,  in  others  to  about  2 feet  where  strati- 
fied medium  and  fine  sand  is  encountered.  In  one  area  north 
of  Belleville  the  surface  soil  contains  more  silt  than  typical.  The 
surface  of  the  type  is  level  to  gently  undulating  and  natural 
drainage  is  generally  good. 


WAUKESHA  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Soil  of  this  type  occurs  principally  along  the  Sugar  River,  in. 
the  vicinity  of  Bass  Lake,  in  Halfway  Prairie,  and  near 
Mazomanie.  The  surface  soil  has  an  average  depth  of  12  to  14 
inches,  and  consists  of  a dark-brown  fine  sandy  loam  containing 
a comparatively  high  percentage  of  organic  matter.  The  sub- 
soil is  a brownish  yellow  fine  sandy  loam  grading  into  stratified 
sand  and  gravel  at  about  36  inches.  As  found  in  Sugar  River 
valley  and  near  Bass  Lake  the  soil  is  a heavy  fine  sandy  loam, 
while  in  the  Halfway  Prairie  valley  small  areas  of  loam  are  in- 
cluded. Near  the  north  border  of  the  area  adjacent  to  Mazo- 
manie there  is  some  evidence  of  wind  work,  where  sand  dunes 
are  forming.  In  such  areas  the  soil  is  of  a lighter  color  than  the 
average.  Litmus  paper  tests  indicate  that  this  soil  is  strongly 
acid.  It  has  a level  to  gently  undulating  topography  and  very 
good  natural  drainage. 


48 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


PLAINFIELD  FINE  SAND. 

Plainfield  fine  sand  is  confined  almost  entirely  to  the  valley 
of  the  Wisconsin  River  north  of  Mazomanie.  A few  small  areas 
occur  in  the  Sugar  River  valley  and  in  other  parts  of  the  county. 
The  surface  soil  to  an  average  depth  of  about  10  inches  consists 
of  a brown  or  light  brown  fine  sand,  rather  low  in  organic  mat- 
ter. This  is  underlain  by  a light  brownish-yellow  fine  sand, 
which  grades  into  a yellow  fine  sand.  Below  2 feet  there  is  a 
yellowish  medium  sand,  and  the  lower  subsoil  is  quite  commonly 
stratified.  Litmus-paper  tests  indicate  an  acid  condition  in  this 
soil.  The  topography  is  level  to  gently  undulating,  with  a 
roughened  surface  in  places  due  to  wind  action.  Drainage  is 
good  except  bordering  marshes  where  it  may  be  somewhat  de- 
ficient. 


GENESEE  FINE  SAND. 

Genesee  fine  sand  is  confined  to  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
county  adjacent  to  the  Wisconsin  River.  The  surface  soil  con- 
sists of  a light  brown  loose  fine  sand  of  about  8 inches  depth,  un- 
derlain by  a yellow  fine  sand.  Variation  in  color,  texture,  and 
depth  of  soil  are  common.  Low  sand  dunes  have  formed  through 
wind  action  and  on  the  crests  of  these  the  soil  is  very  light, 
while  in  sloughs  and  depressions  it  is  loamy  and  dark  colored. 
Numerous  small  areas  of  peat  are  included  in  this  type.  The 
surface  is  level,  except  for  undulations  caused  by  wind  action. 
This  soil  is  subject  to  annual  overflow,  on  account  of  which  but 
little  use  is  made  of  the  land  other  than  for  pasture  and  a small 
quantity  of  wild  hay.  It  is  hardly  prudent  to  attempt  its  cul- 
tivation without  the  construction  of  levees,  and  the  expense 
would  be  much  greater  than  would  be  justified  by  the  agricul- 
tural value  of  the  soil. 

CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS 

AND  FINE  SANDS. 

These  soil  types  cover  a relatively  small  fraction  of  the  county 
but  deserve  rather  more  attention  than  their  extent  would  in- 
dicate on  account  of  the  fact  that  they  are  particularly  adapted 
to  special  crops  and  to  truck  gardening.  As  a rule  soils  of  the 
texture  of  fine  sandy  loam  do  not  have  quite  as  large  an  amount 
of  the  essential  elements  as  do  soils  of  heavier  character.  An- 


GROUP  OF  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDS 


49 


alysis  shows  that  these  soils  contain  from  700  to  800  pounds  of 
phosphorus,  and  from  1300  to  2000  pounds  of  nitrogen,  and 
from  18,000  to  25,000  pounds  of  potassium  per  acre.  The  com- 
position varies  somewhat  within  the  type.  The  Miami  fine 
sandy  loam  being  relatively  high  in  phosphorous  and  the  Plain- 
field  fine  sand  somewhat  lower  than  the  others. 

As  a result  of  their  somewhat  coarser  texture  and  consequent 
readiness  with  which  water  percolates  through,  these  soils  are 
quite  generally  acid. 

The  principal  characteristic  of  these  types  is  the  fact  that 
since  they  hold  somewhat  less  water  than  heavier  soils  do  they 
warm  up  more  quickly  in  the  spring,  and  this  together  with  the 
readiness  with  which  they  can  be  worked  adapts  them  to  truck 
and  special  crops,  the  growing  of  which  requires  more  hand 
labor  than  is  involved  in  the  growing  of  staple  crops.  It  is 
necessary  to  give  them  somewhat  more  attention  to  maintain 
fertility  particularly  because  of  the  fact  that  they  are  a little 
lower  in  fertility  than  the  heavier  soils  but  more  because  of  the 
fact  that  these  special  crops  require  a higher  degree  of  fertility 
to  produce  satisfactory  yields.  When  these  soils  are  used  for 
the  growing  of  these  truck  and  special  crops  their  fertility  can 
be  maintained  either  through  the  use  of  rather  heavy  applica- 
tions of  stable  manure  or  through  the  use  of  a rotation,  in  which 
a legume  is  grown  as  the  means  of  securing  the  necessary  nitro- 
gen and  organic  matter,  while  the  other  elements,  chiefly  phos- 
phorus and  potassium,  are  supplied  in  commercial  fertilizers. 
When  this  latter  system  is  followed  one-third  or  one-fourth  of 
the  land  should  be  sown  to  a legume  such  as  mammoth  clover  or 
soy  beans  which  have  large  powers  of  gathering  nitrogen  from 
the  air,  and  a part  of  the  phosphorus  and  potash  should  be  used 
for  the  growth  of  this  green  manuring  crop.  The  fertility  used 
in  this  way  will  become  available  for  the  succeeding  crops 
through  the  decomposition  of  the  legume  when  plowed  under, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  total  amount  of  fertilizer  to  be  used 
should  be  applied  on  this  ground  at  the  time  of  fitting  it  for  the 
succeeding  crops. 


50 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  V. 


GROUP  OF  DARK-COLORED,  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS. 

. CLYDE  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution  * — Clyde  silt  loam  is  confined  to  the 
central  and  eastern  section  of  the  county,  throughout  which  it  is 
widely  distributed.  The  total  area  mapped  is  large,  but  there  are 
few  tracts  over  1 square  mile  in  extent.  In  Medina  and  York 
Townships  the  type  occurs  as  long,  narrow  belts  bordering  areas 
of  Peat,  while  in  other  places  it  frequently  occupies  the  entire 
extent  of  a low,  poorly  drained  depression. 

Description. — The  soil  of  Clyde  silt  loam  to  an  average  depth 
of  14  inches  consists  of  a dark-brown  or.  black  silt  loam  which 
contains  a very  large  percentage  of  organic  matter.  The  sur- 
face is  frequently  covered  with  a mantle  of  peaty  material  1 to  6 
or  8 inches  in  thickness,  but  where  the  land  is  cleared  and  culti- 
vated this  becomes  incorporated  with  the  soil.  The  subsoil  con- 
sists of  a drab  or  bluish  silt  loam  which  grades  into  a silty  clay 
loam  at  about  20  inches.  This  extends  to  a depth  of  over  3 feet, 
and  throughout  the  subsoil,  especially  in  the  lower  part,  yellow 
mottlings  or  stains  are  usually  found.  In  a few  places  along 
the  Yahara  River  and  Koshkonong  Creek  the  black  silt  loam  was 
deposited  over  fine  sandy  loam  or  fine  sand.  The  black  silt  loam 
is  also  found  over  peat  in  a few  instances.  Such  variations, 
however,  are  of  only  small  extent.  The  type  as  a whole  is 
quite  uniform.  Litmus-paper  tests  indicate  that  the  soil  is  not 
acid 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  surface  of  this  type  is  level, 
and  the  natural  drainage  is  poor.  Before  cultivated  crops  can 
be  profitably  grown,  open  ditches  or  tile  drains  must  be  in- 

*The  material  mapped  as  Rough,  stony  land  in  secs.  23  and  26, 

T 5 N.,  R 8 E.  should  be  shown  as  Clyde  silt  loam. 


GROUP  OF  DARK  COLORED,  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


51 


stalled  to  carry  off  the  excess  water.  There  is  usually  some  fall, 
so  that  most  of  the  areas  of  this  soil  can  be  successfully  drained. 

Origin. — The  Clyde  silt  loam  is  largely  of  lacustrine  and  al- 
luvial origin.  It  occurs  as  old  lake  beds,  ponded  valleys,  kettle 
basins,  and  old  sloughs.  It  also  occupies  the  valleys  of  present 
streams.  The  parent  material  was  doubtless  derived  from  wash 
from  the  upland  regions,  and  was  either  deposited  in  the  quiet 
waters  of  lakes  or  by  slowly  moving  streams.  The  moist  con- 
ditions which  prevailed  favored  a rank  growth  of  vegetation, 
the  decay  of  which  accounts  for  the  dark  color  and  high  organic- 
matter  content  of  the  soil. 

Native  vegetatio7i. — The  original  forest  growth  consisted  of 
ash,  elm,  soft  maple,  and  willow.  Most  of  the  merchantable 
timber  has  been  removed,  but  only  a small  part  of  the  type  has 
been  cleared. 

Present  agricultural  development. — Where  open  ditches  and 
tiles  have  been  installed  some  of  the  largest  crops  of  the  region 
have  been  produced  on  this  soil.  Corn  has  yielded  as  much  as 
80  bushels  per  acre  and  oats,  92  bushels.  Grass  makes  a very 
rank  growth,  and  timothy  yields  2 tons  of  hay  per  acre.  Alsike 
clover  also  does  well.  Small  grains  are  likely  to  lodge,  and  the 
quality  of  the  grain  is  not  quite  equal  to  that  produced  upon 
the  upland  silt  loam  soils  of  the  county.  Small  grains  can  be 
produced  with  profit,  however,  and  may  well  form  a part  of  the 
crop  rotation.  Sugar  beets  yield  12  to  18  tons  per  acre,  and 
while  the  sugar  content  is  not  as  high  as  on  the  light-colored  silt 
loam  soils,  the  yield  is  greater  and  the  net  returns  are  larger. 
Cabbage  can  be  grown  successfully  on  the  Clyde  silt  loam,  but 
peas  produce  too  rank  a growth  of  vines. 

The  greatest  need  of  the  Clyde  silt  loam  is  drainage.  It  is 
estimated  that  the  cost  of  tiling  would  be  $25  or  $35  an  acre. 
Where  thoroughly  tiled,  this  soil  wdll  produce  excellent  crops. 

Chemical  composition  and  management.— The  soil  of  this  type 
has  been  formed  by  the  drying  up  of  marshes  formed  at  the 
close  of  the  glacial  period  and  occurs  associated  largely  with  the 
Miami  silt  loam  which  was  formed  by  the  grinding  action  of  the 
ice  on  limestone.  These  marshes,  therefore,  received  the  wash 
of  lime  from  the  upland  and  the  Clyde  soil  now  contains  much 
more  lime  as  a rule  than  the  upland  soils  do.  It  is,  therefore, 
practically  never  acid.  The  total  supply  of  essential  plant  food 
elements  in  most  cases  is  large;  in  some  small  areas  soils  of  es- 


52 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


sentially  a muck  character  have  been  included  in  this  type  and 
there  is  so  large  an  amount  of  organic  matter  in  them  that  the 
mineral  elements  phosphorus  and  potassium  are  somewhat  low. 

The  most  marked  feature  of  this  type  is  the  fact  that  the  potas- 
sium in  many  cases  is  of  low  availability  and  crops,  especially 
corn,  turn  yellow  at  an  early  stage  and  make  poor  growth.  In 
such  cases  the  use  of  some  form  of  potash  fertilizer  or  of  strawy 
horse  manure  is  necessary  to  remedy  this  condition.  It  ordi- 
narily develops  in  patches  of  from  one  to  several  acres  in  extent. 
The  phosphorus  is  usually  ample  for  a number  of  years  after 
drainage.  But  such  land  must  eventually  be  manured  as  up- 
land soils  are  or  else  commercial  fertilizers  containing  phosphorus 
and  potash  must  be  used.  There  is  ordinarily  a much  larger 
supply  of  nitrogen  relatively  than  of  phosphorus  and  potassium. 
In  many  cases  which  show  a marked  need  of  potassium  during 
the  first  few  years  of  cropping  and  where  the  soil  is  high  in  or- 
ganic matter  to  a depth  of  a foot  or  so  this  special  lack  of  potas- 
sium disappears  after  a few  years  of  cropping  as  the  result  of 
the  settling  of  organic  matter  so  that  deep  plowing  mixes  up 
some  of  the  subsoil  high  in  potassium.  In  this  case  the  lack  of 
potassium  is  said  to  be  “ farmed  out.  ’ ’ 

The  first  improvement  in  this  type,  of  course,  is  in  drainage 
so  as  to  permit  its  being  used  for  tilled  crops,  especially  corn, 
to  which  it  is  adapted.  In  most  cases  a soil  as  heavy  as  a silt  loam 
should  be  tiled  and  with  the  laterals  not  more  than  5 rods  apart 
and  on  an  average  not  more  than  4 rods. 

CLYDE  LOAM. 

Clyde  loam  is  of  very  limited  extent,  and  only  a few  small 
areas  are  mapped.  One  of  these  lies  1 mile  west  of  Brooklyn 
and  another  about  2 miles  northwest  of  the  same  place. 

Clyde  loam  is  an  extremely  variable  soil,  but  there  are  a few 
characteristics  which  are  uniform  throughout  its  development. 
The  type  averages  a black  or  dark-brown  loam  to  a depth  of 
about  10  to  12  inches.  This  is  underlain  by  a dark-brown,  drab 
or  bluish  fine  sandy  loam  or  sandy  clay  loam,  which  usually 
grades  into  a fine  sand  at  lower  depths.  The  subsoil  is  usually 
mottled  with  yellow  or  brown  iron  stains.  The  texture  of  both 
soil  and  subsoil  varies,  but  the  surface  is  always  dark,  and  the 
underlying  material  is  always  considerably  lighter  in  color.  The 
mottled  condition  is  quite  uniform.  Litmus-paper  tests  indl- 


GROUP  OF  DARK  COLORED , POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


53 


cate  that  the  soil  is  seldom  in  an  acid  condition.  The  surface  is 
level  and  the  natural  drainage  is  poor.  Before  profitable  yields 
can  be  had,  it  is  necessary  to  construct  tile  drains  or  open 
ditches. 

This  soil  is  of  alluvial  or  lacustrine  origin,  and  has  been 
washed  down  from  the  higher  adjoining  soils  and  deposited  in 
small  lakes  or  streams.  One  of  the  areas  mapped  lies  just  out- 
side of  the  moraine  in  a region  of  outwash  material.  The  dark 
color  and  high  organic-matter  content  are  due  to  the  decay  of 
a rank  vegetation,  the  growth  of  which  was  favored  by  moist 
conditions.  This  type  occurs  in  a limestone  region,  and  the 
wash  from  the  uplands  tends  to  correct  any  acid  condition  which 
might  otherwise  develop.  The  original  forest  growth  included 
elm,  soft  maple,  ash  and  willow.  Although  the  greater  part  of 
the  type  is  still  uncleared,  the  present  timber  is  of  little  value. 

Clyde  loam  is  utilized  for  grazing,  but  is  too  wet  for  culti- 
vated crops.  Where  reclaimed  by  drainage  it  is  adapted  to 
the  same  crops  as  Clyde  silt  loam,  and  requires  the  same  treat- 
ment as  that  type. 


CLYDE  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Clyde  fine  sandy  loam  is  of  very  limited  extent.  An  area  to 
the  north  of  Middleton  occupies  an  old  lake  bed.  Small  areas 
occur  in  the  vicinity  of  Fish  and  Crystal  Lakes,  and  other 
patches  are  scattered  throughout  the  northern  and  southeastern 
parts  of  the  county. 

The  surface  soil  of  Clyde  fine  sandy  loam  consists  of  a dark 
brown  or  black  fine  sandy  loam,  ranging  in  a few  places  to  a 
fine  sand.  It  has  an  average  depth  of  12  inches.  The  percent- 
age of  organic  matter  present  is  high,  and  there  is  frequently 
2 to  6 inches  of  peaty  material  over  the  surface.  When  the 
land  is  brought  under  cultivation,  this  peaty  material  becomes 
mixed  with  the  soil.  The  subsoil  consists  of  a fine  sandy  loam, 
much  lighter  in  color  than  the  soil,  usually  being  drab  or  gray- 
ish. This  frequently  becomes  somewhat  heavier  with  depth, 
until  at  about  30  inches  it  is  a silty  clay  loam,  mottled  with  yel- 
low and  brownish  iron  stains.  The  subsoil,  however,  is  variable, 
and  frequently  consists  of  fine  sand  or  fine  sandy  loam  of  a 
white  or  grayish  color.  Litmus-paper  tests  indicate  that  this 
soil  is  acid  in  only  a few  places. 


54 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


The  type  lies  low  and  flat,  and  the  natural  drainage  is  de- 
ficient. Along  the  margin  of  some  of  the  areas  the  type  is  high 
enough  for  crops  to  be  grown  without  artificial  drainage,  but 
over  most  of  it  tile  drains  or  open  ditches  are  necessary  for  the 
profitable  production  of  general  farm  crops. 

Clyde  fine  sandy  loam  occurs  in  old  lake  beds,  ponded  valleys, 
and  along  the  valleys  of  present  streams.  It  is  of  alluvial  and 
lacustrine  origin,  having  been  washed  down  from  the  higher 
country  adjoining  and  deposited  in  lakes  or  stream  flood  plains. 
The  moist  conditions  favored  a rank  growth  of  grasses  and  water- 
loving  plants,  the  decay  of  which  accounts  for  the  dark  color 
and  the  high  organic-matter  content  of  the  soil.  The  original 
forest  growth  consisted  of  elm,  soft  maple,  ash  and  willow. 

Only  a few  areas  of  this  soil  are  under  cultivation  at  present. 
In  the  area  north  of  Middleton,  some  portions  of  the  tract  have 
become  fairly  well  drained  by  natural  means — a general  lower- 
ing of  the  water  table  of  the  adjacent  lands,  and  are  being 
cropped.  Another  tract  where  the  conditions  are  somewhat  sim- 
ilar occurs  4 y2  miles  west  of  Morrisonville.  With  a few  such  ex- 
ceptions most  of  this  is  in  need  of  artificial  drainage  and  at 
present  is  used  chiefly  for  pasture  and  the  production  of  marsh 
hay.  It  furnishes  good  grazing  for  the  greater  part  of  the  sea- 
son and  can  be  used  to  advantage  for  this  purpose,  especially 
where  diarying  is  carried  on.  Where  properly  drained  it  is 
adapted  to  corn,  timothy,  alsike  clover,  and  small  grains.  It 
is  not  capable  of  producing  small  grain  of  as  good  quality  as 
that  grown  on  the  light-colored  upland  soils,  but  profitable  crops 
can  be  secured.  The  soil  appears  to  be  somewhat  deficient  in 
potash  and  phosphorus.  Much  the  same  methods  outlined  for 
the  management  of  Clyde  silt  loam  are  applicable  to  this  soil. 

DUNNING  SILT  LOAM. 

Dunning  silt  loam  has  an  area  of  less  than  a square  mile  in 
this  county,  and  is  confined  to  the  Wisconsin  River  Valley  a few 
miles  north  of  Mazomanie. 

The  surface  soil  to  an  average  depth  of  12  inches  consists  of 
a dark-brown  to  black  silt  loam,  high  in  organic  matter,  and  con- 
taining in  places  a small  percentage  of  white  fine  sand  grains. 
The  subsoil  is  a yellowish-brown  silt  loam  containing  a rather 
high  percentage  of  fine  sand,  grading  into  a fine  sand  below  2 
feet.  The  material  forming  the  deep  subsoil  is  stratified,  and  the 


GROUP  OF  DARK  COLORED,  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS  55 


structure  is  loose  and  open.  Both  soil  and  subsoil  are  subject 
to  considerable  variation,  especially  as  regards  the  amount  of 
fine  sand  mixed  with  the  silt,  and  also  the  depth  at  which  this 
fine  sand  layer  occurs. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  is  nearly  level.  It  occurs  as  a marsh- 
border  soil,  lying  at  a very  slight  elevation  above  the  adjoining 
marsh.  The  natural  drainage  is  rather  poor. 

This  soil  occurs  as  a second  bottom  and  is  of  alluvial  origin. 
The  parent  material  is  from  the  glaciated  region.  It  was  car- 
ried down  when  large  volumes  of  water  flowed  from  beneath  the 
ice  sheet,  and  deposited  within  what  was  then  the  flood  plain 
of  the  river.  With  the  recession  of  the  ice,  the  stream  cut  a 
deeper  channel,  leaving  this  soil  on  a terrace  above  the  present 
flood  plain. 

This  type  originally  supported  a rank  growth  of  grasses,  with 
scattering  timber — oak,  elm,  willow  and  alders. 

Only  a small  pqrtion  of  the  type  is  under  cultivation  at  pres- 
ent, due  to  the  poor  drainage  conditions.  Most  of  the  area  is 
used  for  pasture,  some  marsh  hay  is  cut.  Before  this  soil  can 
be  utilized  profitably  the  water  table  of  the  adjoining  marsn 
will  have  to  be  lowered.  Because  of  the  open  subsoil  tiling  for 
under-drainage  may  not  be  necessary  on  all  of  this  soil.  When 
sufficiently  well  drained,  it  will  produce  profitable  yields  of  the 
general  farm  crops.  In  dry  years  very  good  yields  of  corn  have 
been  obtained  on  the  higher  portions  of  the  type. 

Methods  of  improvement.  The  methods  suggested  for  the 
management  of  Clyde  silt  loam  are  very  largely  applicable  to 
this  soil.  It  differs  from  the  Clyde  soils  chiefly  in  having  a 
lower  content  of  lime,  with  the  result  that  it  is  frequently  acid. 
In  such  cases,  an  application  of  some  form  of  lime  would  prove 
beneficial. 


DUNNING  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Dunning  fine  sandy  loam  occurs  in  the  valley  of  the  Wis- 
consin River  a few  miles  north  of  Mazomanie,*  and  has  a small 
total  area. 

The  surface  soil  of  this  type  consists  of  a loamy  fine  sand  to 
fine  sandy  loam  of  a dark-brown  color  and  extending  to  a depth 


*The  area  surrounding  Mazomanie  in  Secs.  7,  8,  9,  15,  16,  17  T.  8 N., 
N.,  R.  6 E.  and  marked  with  the  letters  Df  should  be  Wf — Waukesha 
fine  sandy  loam. 


56 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


of  8 inches.  There  is  frequently  a surface  covering  of  a few 
inches  of  sandy,  mucky  material  in  which  the  percentage  of  or- 
gantic  matter  is  very  high.  On  cultivation  the  surface  soils 
seems  to  become  lighter,  due  to  the  mixing  of  the  underlying 
sandy  material  with  the  dark  surface  soil.  The  subsoil  consists 
of  a grayinsh  fine  sand  which  extends  to  a depth  of  over  3 feet. 
In  a few  places  the  surface  soil  is  a dark-brown  or  nearly  black 
fine  sand  without  the  covering  of  muck  material.  Litmus 
tests  indicate  that  the  soil  is  quite  strongly  acid. 

The  surface  is  level.  The  largest  area  of  the  type,  extending 
through  the  center  part  of  Mazomanie  Township,  is  of  inter- 
mediate elevation  between  the  ridge  of  Plainfield  sand  to  the 
north  and  the  peat  marsh  to  the  south,  there  being  a gradual 
rise  from  the  marsh  northward.  Originally  much  of  the  type 
was  poorly  drained,  but  through  the  construction  of  ditches  the 
water  table  has  been  lowered  so  that  at  present  a considerable 
portion  has  fair  drainage.  A portion  of  the  material  in  sec- 
tions 28  and  29  in  T.  9 N.,  R.  6 E.  has  been  influenced  to  a 
marked  extent  by  wind  action.  In  sec.  35  there  is  also  a long 
narrow  ridge,  and  at  several  points  along  the  south  side  of  the 
Wisconsin  River  there  is  wind  worked  material  which  in  the 
field  was  classified  as  Dunesand,  but  which  was  included  with  the 
Dunning  fine  sandy  loam  through  an  error  in  lithographing. 

This  soil  is  of  alluvial  origin.  The  dark  color  is  due  to  an  ac- 
cumulation of  organic  matter  through  the  growth  and  decay  of 
grasses  when  these  areas  were  in  a wet  condition. 

A portion  of  this  type  originally  supported  a heavy  growth 
of  grasses.  Where  timbered,  willow,  poplar  and  oak  predomi- 
nate. 

About  75  percent  of  this  type  is  under  cultivation.  The 
drainage  of  much  of  this  soil  has  been  greatly  improved  by  the 
construction  of  a town  ditch,  lowering  the  general  water  table 
and  by  means  of  small  surface  ditches.  General  farming  with 
dairying  is  the  leading  type  of  agriculture  at  present.  On  the 
heavier  phase,  fair  yields  of  the  general  farm  crops  are  ob- 
tained. The  more  sandy  portions  appear  to  be  low  in  fertility, 
and  the  crops  are  poor. 

Chemical  composition  and  management . — This  type  is  gener- 
ally deficient  in  the  mineral  elements  of  plant  food,  especially 
phosphorus  and  potassium.  These  elements  can  be  supplied  by 
the  use  of  commercial  fertilizers.  The  acid  condition  of  the  soil 
should  be  corrected  by  the  application  of  at  least  1%  to  2 tons 


GROUP  OF  DARK  COLORED,  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS  57 


of  ground  limestone  to  the  acre.  This  is  especially  desirable  for 
the  growth  of  legumes,  such  as  clover  and  alfalfa,  as  they  do  not 
make  a satisfactory  growth  on  acid  soils. 

Thorough  drainage  is  the  first  step  to  be  considered  in  the  im- 
provement of  these  lands.  With  proper  fertilization  and  the 
correction  of  acidity  very  good  crops  of  corn,  potatoes,  rye,  buck- 
wheat, timothy  and  alsike  clover  can  be  produced. 

WABASH  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution. — Wabash  silt  loam  is  confined  to  the 
valley  bottoms  of  the  western  portion  of  the  county.  Its  total 
area  is  equivalent  to  more  than  a township,  and  it  occurs  along 
most  of  the  streams  as  long,  narrow  strips. 

Description. — The  soil  of  Wabash  silt  loam  to  an  average 
depth  of  about  14  inches  consists  of  a black  or  dark-brown  silt 
loam  containing  large  quantities  of  organic  matter.  It  is  un- 
derlain by  a brownish-drab  or  bluish  silt  loam  or  silty  clay  loam 
which  is  mottled  with  iron  strains  below  18  inches.  This  ma- 
terial extends  to  a depth  of  over  3 feet,  and  it  usually  becomes 
heaver  in  texture  with  depth.  Variations  in  this  type  are 
common,  especially  along  the  smaller  streams,  where  small  areas 
might  properly  be  classed  as  Meadow.  In  places  the  surface  soil 
is  light  brown,  and  the  black  silt  loam  is  encountered  a few 
inches  below.  In  other  localities  there  is  a peaty  covering,  a 
few  inches  deep,  over  the  silt  loam.  In  small  patches  both  soil 
and  subsoil  are  quite  sandy,  but  all  these  variations  mentioned 
are  of  such  limited  extent  that  they  can  not  be  indicated  on  the 
soil  map.  The  soil  as  a rule  is  in  slightly  acid  condition. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  surface  of  the  type  is  level, 
or  gently  sloping  towards  the  stream.  The  soil  is  subject  to 
overflow  and  the  natural  drainage  is  poor.  Before  cultivated 
crops  can  be  grown  successfully  much  of  the  land  will  require 
tiling. 

Origin. — -Wabash  silt  loam  is  of  alluvial  origin,  it  having 
been  washed  from  the  adjoining  higher  land  by  erosion,  car- 
ried by  the  streams  and  deposited  within  the  present  flood  plain. 
A rank  vegetation  developed  under  the  moist  conditions,  and 
the  decay  of  this  accounts  for  the  dark  color  and  the  high  or- 
ganic-matter content  of  the  type.  In  some  of  the  narrow  val- 
leys the  type  is  partly  colluvial  in  origin. 

Native  vegetation. — The  original  forest  growth  consisted  of 


58 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


willow,  sycamore,  elm,  soft  maple,  and  ash.  Some  of  the 
timber  is  still  standing,  but  it  has  little  value. 

Present  agricultural  development. — As  the  drainage  is  poor 
and  the  type  usually  subject  to  overflow,  it  is  not  used  exten- 
sively for  farming.  It  affords  good  pasture,  however,  and  is 
highly  prized  for  this  purpose,  as  it  occurs  in  a section  where 
dairying  is  carried  on  extensively.  In  a few  instances  where  the 
soil  is  properly  drained,  good  yields  are  obtained,  corn  averag- 
ing as  much  as  60  bushels  per  acre.  The  main  need  of  this  type 
is  drainage,  and  with  the  construction  of  open  ditches  and  tile 
drains  it  should  become  one  of  the  most  productive  soils  of  the 
county. 

Wabash  silt  loam,  culluvial  phase. — This  phase  occurs  at 
the  base  of  valley  slopes  as  narrow  strips,  between  the  flood  plain 
and  the  upland,  which  have  a gentle  slope,  insuring  good  natural 
drainage. 

The  soil  is  intermediate  between  Wabash  silt  loam  and  the 
surrounding  upland.  The  surface  soil  to  an  average  depth  of 
14  inches  consists  of  a dark-brown  to  nearly  black  silt  loam,  high 
in  organic  matter.  The  subsoil  is  a yellowish-brown  silt  loam, 
which  gradually  becomes  heavier  with  depth  and  grades  into 
a silty  clay  loam  at  20  to  24  inches.  The  silty  clay  loam  con- 
tinues to  a depth  of  more  than  3 feet.  The  soil  is  darkest  where 
it  borders  typical  Wabash  silt  loam  and  becomes  lighter  as  it 
grades  into  Knox  silt  loam,  which  is  light  colored.  In  a few 
small  spots  the  soil  is  a fine  sandy  loam. 

This  soil  is  largely  of  colluvial  origin,  having  been  washed 
down  the  slopes  from  the  higher  lands  adjoining. 

The  greater  part  of  the  phase  is  under  cultivation,  and  gives 
very  good  yields.  All  the  crops  common  to  the  region  are  grown, 
and  in  addition  alfalfa  is  grown  successfully  in  a few  places. 
This  soil  is  usually  included  in  the  fields  with  Knox  silt  loam  or 
Dodgeville  silt,  loam,  and  the  methods  of  farming  are  the  same 
as  on  those  types. 

Wabash  silt  loam,  terrace  phase. — Included  in  this  phase  are 
two  quite  distinct  soils  of  very  limited  area,  which  if  more  ex- 
tensive would  have  been  shown  as  separate  types. 

The  first  occurs  most  extensively  in  the  valley  of  the  south 
fork  of  the  Sugar  River  and  one  of  its  tributaries,  2 to  6 miles 
southeast  of  Mount  Vernon.  There  are  other  small  areas  in 
Mounds  Creek  Hollow,  and  Norwegian  Hollow. 


GROUP  OF  BARK  COLORED,  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


59 


The  surface  soil  of  these  areas  to  a depth  of  14  inches  con- 
sists of  a dark  brown  or  black  silt  loam  containing  a very  large 
quantity  of  organic  matter.  The  subsoil  is  a slit  loam  of  a drab 
color,  mottled  with  iron  stains.  This  extends  to  a depth  of  30 
to  40  inches  where  a drab  fine  sand  is  encountered.  In  a few 
places  the  subsoil  is  a dark-colored  carbonaceous  silt  loam  to  a 
depth  of  20  inches,  where  the  color  becomes  lighter.  The  depth 
to  sand  is  variable,  in  some  places  occuring  at  18  inches.  In  one 
small  area,  about  3%  miles  northeast  of  Belleville  in  NE1^  of 
Sec.  19,  T.  5 N.,  R.  8 E.,  the  surface  soil  is  a fine  sandy  loam. 
The  subsoil  is  of  similar  texture,  but  grades  into  a sandy  clay 
at  about  24  inches,  and  this  into  a fine  sand  at  about  3 feet. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  is  nearly  level,  with  a gentle  slope 
toward  the  stream  along  which  it  occurs.  Owing  to  the  topog- 
raphy and  to  the  occurrence  of  a large  number  of  springs,  the 
natural  drainage  is  poor.  The  soil  has  been  formed  through 
the  weathering  of  stream  terraces  or  bottoms  which  lie  a little 
above  the  present  flood  plain. 

On  account  of  the  poor  drainage  of  this  soil  but  little  effort 
has  been  made  to  cultivate  it.  Tile  drainage  is  necessary  be- 
fore much  of  it  can  be  successfully  cropped.  With  proper 
drainage  the  soil  is  capable  of  producing  large  and  profitable 
yields  of  all  the  general  farm  crops. 

Included  with  this  type  are  areas  in  Black  Earth  Valley 
which  are  intermediate  in  character  between  the  terrace  phase 
and  colluvial  phase,  and  occur  in  narrow  gently  undulating 
valleys  and  on  the  adjacent  colluvial  slopes,  with  a gently  slop- 
ing topography,  not  too  steep,  however,  to  be  cultivated  and  with 
very  good  natural  drainage. 

The  soil  of  this  portion  of  the  type  is  a dark  brown  or  nearly 
black  silt  loam  of  about  14  inches  depth,  which  gradually  be- 
comes lighter  in  color  with  depth,  so  that  the  lower  part  of  the 
surface  soil  is  a medium  brown.  Below  this  a yellowish-brown 
color  develops,  and  the  texture  becomes  heavier,  until  at  20 
inches  there  is  a heavy  silt  loam  or  silty  clay  loam  which  con- 
tinues to  a depth  greater  than  3 feet. 

Most  of  these  areas  occur  adjacent  to  Waukesha  silt  loam  on 
slopes  between  it  and  the  surrounding  upland  and  it  is  usually 
farmed  in  conjunction  with  this  soil.  Excellent  crops  of  corn, 
oats,  barley  and  hay  are  raised.  As  these  slopes  receive  the 
wash  from  the  surrounding  limestone  uplands,  the  soil  is  seldom 
acid  and  has  proven  to  be  an  excellent  soil  for  alfalfa. 


60 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


Chemical  composition  and  management. — Since  this  soil  has 
been  formed  recently  by  alluvial  deposit  and  is  largely  derived 
as  wash  from  the  silt  and  finer  soil  from  the  land  above,  it  has 
a larger  amount  of  the  plant  food  elements  than  older  soils  have 
as  a rule.  It  contains  from  one  and  a half  to  two  times  as 
much  phosphorous  as  the  average  silt  loam  soil  and  considerably 
more  nitrogen  and  organic  matter  than  the  Knox  and  Miami 
types  have  as  a rule.  The  potassium  is  approximately  the  same 
— that  is,  about  35,000  pounds  per  acre  to  a depth  of  8 inches. 
Moreover,  the  organic  matter  of  this  soil  is  largely  of  compara- 
tively recent  origin  and  so  is  more  active  than  the  black  resist- 
ant organic  matter  of  the  Waukesha,  Carrington,  and  Dodge- 
ville  types.  When  this  soil  can  be  thoroughly  drained  and  pro- 
tected from  overflow  it  is  one  of  unusually  high  fertility.  Nev- ' 
ertheless,  this  fertility  should  be  maintained  by  proper  manage- 
ment rather  than  permitted  to  decrease.  Unless  this  land  is 
fully  drained  it  is  best  adapted  to  pasture  and  the  growing  of 
hay,  and  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  crops  require 
large  amounts  of  phosphorous  and  nitrogen  and  that  the  use  of 
land  even  as  pasture  continually  does  not  maintain  either  of 
these  elements,  and  its  use  as  meadow  has  the  effect  of  exhaust- 
ing the  plant  food  rapidly.  Either  stable  manure  or  mineral 
fertilizers  containing  phosphorus  used  in  connection  with  a ro- 
tation including  a legume  which  is  plowed  under  to  maintain 
the  nitrogen  and  organic  matter  must  be  used. 

On  account  of  its  situation  along  streams  which  are  subject 
to  considerable  change  in  volume  during  the  year  it  is  rather 
difficult  to  give  some  tracts  of  this  type  the  thorough  drainage 
which  would  be  necessary  to  fit  them  for  tilled  crops.  A large 
part  of  this  type  of  soil,  however,  can  be  fully  drained  by  .a  com- 
bination of  tiling  and  surface  ditches.  The  tile  should  be  laid 
in  such  a way  that  the  main  runs  as  far  down  stream  as  pos- 
sible in  order  to  use  all  the  fall  available.  Open  ditches  should 
be  developed  so  as  to  carry  the  water  from  the  ravines  on  the 
side  hills  across  the  valley  to  the  streanj  without  permitting  it 
to  separate  over  the  surface  which  has  the  effect  of  filling  up 
slight  depressions  and  keeping  them  wet  for  a long  time  after 
heavy  rains. 

When  thorough  drainage  can  be  provided  this  land  is  es- 
pecially suited  to  tilled  crops  making  a large  demand  on  the 
plant  flood  of  the  soil,  such  as  corn  and  sugar  beets.  Acidity 
to  a slight  extent  has  developed  in  this  soil  more  or  less  gen- 


GROUP  OF  DARK  COLORED,  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


61 


erally.  If  the  land  is  to  be  used  for  clover  or  alfalfa  this  should 
be  corrected ; otherwise,  it  will  not  lessen  the  fertility  of  the  soil 
until  it  has  developed  to  a considerably  greater  degree  than  that 
at  present  existing. 


WABASH  LOAM. 

Wabash  loam  is  confined  to  the  stream  valleys  in  the  western 
portion  of  the  county.  Patches  occur  in  Dunlap  Hollow  and 
along  lower  Halfway  Prairie  and  Black  Earth  Creeks,  also 
along  the  Sugar  River  2 miles  north  of  Belleville.  Its  total 
extent  is  small. 

This  type  is  extremely  variable,  but  usually  the  soil  to  an  av- 
erage depth  of  14  inches,  consists  of  a dark-brown  to  black 
loam.  The  subsoil  usually  is  a drab  or  somewhat  bluish  loam 
or  fine  sandy  loam,  which  is  mottled  with  yellow  in  the  lower 
depths.  The  area  mapped  in  the  flood  plain  of  Half  Way 
Prairie  Creek  is  predominately  a fine  sandy  loam,  but  because 
of  its  limited  extent  and  variability,  was  included  with  the  loam 
type.  The  tract  along  the  Sugar  River  north  of  Belleville  is  a 
black  fine  sand,  but  is  only  of  about  15  acres  in  extent.  A thin 
covering  of  peat  occurs  in  places  over  the  surface.  In  the  lower 
subsoil  fine  gravel  occurs  in  places.  The  material  is  not  uni- 
form over  areas  of  any  considerable  extent. 

The  surface  is  low  and  flat,  or  has  only  a gentle  slope  toward 
the  stream  along  which  the  type  occurs,  and  the  natural  drain- 
age is  poor.  It  lies  within  present  flood  plains  and  is  subject  to 
overflow. 

This  soil  is  of  alluvial  origin,  having  been  carried  down  the 
adjoining  slopes  and  deposited  in  the  present  flood  plain.  The 
moist  conditions  favored  a rank  growth  of  vegetation,  the  decay 
of  which  accounts  for  the  dark  color  of  the  soil.  The  original 
growth,  in  addition  to  grasses,  consisted  chiefly  of  elm,  ash,  soft 
maple,  and  willow. 

On  account  of  its  low  position,  poorly  drained  condition  and 
the  danger  from  floods,  this  soil  is  used  only  for  pasturage  and  to 
some  extent  for  the  production  of  marsh  hay. 

Draining  and  protecting  the  land  from  floods  are  the  first 
steps  necessary  in  improving  this  soil.  In  many  cases,  however, 
the  cost  of  such  improvement  would  not  be  justifiable.  In  com- 
position this  type  is  similar  to  the  silt  loam,  though  somewhat 


62 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


more  variable.  When  drained  it  is  adapted  to  the  same  crops 
as  silt  loam  and  may  be  managed  in  the  same  way.  In  its  pres- 
ent condition  its  use  as  pasture  land  is  probably  the  most  prac- 
ticable. 


GROUPS  OF  MISCELLANEOUS  SOLIS 


Go 


CHAPTER  VI. 

GROUPS  OP  MISCELLANEOUS  SOILS. 

ROUGH  STONY  LAND. 

Rough  stony  land  is  very  largely  confined  to  the  western  part 
of  the  county,  where  it  is  associated  with  the  Knox  silt  loam. 
Areas  of  this  type  consist  mainly  of  steep,  rocky  slopes  and 
cliffs,  too  rough  to  plow  or  to  cultivate  profitably.  Where  there 
is  a covering  of  soil  over  the  rocks  it  is  thin,  and  is  usually  filled 
with  rock  fragments.  The  texture  of  the  soil  varies  from  a silt 
loam  to  a fine  sand  or  fine  sandy  loam.  This  type  occupies  the 
steepest  portions  of  ravine  and  valley  walls.  The  outcropping 
rock  consists  of  limestone  and  sandstone,  while  the  thin  soil  cov- 
ering has  resulted  from  the  weathering  of  these  formations  and 
from  the  wash  from  higher  lying  lands.  Much  of  the  forest 
growth,  consisting  of  oak,  hickory  and  a few  birch,  is  still  stand- 
ing. Rough  stony  land  is  non-agricultural*  and  of  value  only 
for  the  small  amount  of  timber  and  pasturage  which  it  affords. 

MADE  LAND. 

Made  land  includes  poorly  drained  areas  in  and  about  the  city 
of  Madison,  which  have  been  filled  in  artificially.  Originally 
the  soil  was  Clyde  silt  loam,  Muck  or  Peat.  In  most  cases  such 
tracts  have  been  covered  by  pumping  sand  from  adjoining  lakes, 
but  in  some  instances  soil  has  been  hauled  from  higher  lying 
areas.  It  is  quite  common  to  cover  the  sand  with  a thin  veneer 
of  “clay.”  These  areas  are  not  used  for  agriculture,  but  are 
platted  into  small  lots  and  sold  for  building  sites. 

meadow. 

Meadow  comprises  first  bottom  land  along  the  Wisconsin 
River  subject  to  annual  overflow,  where  the  texture  of  the  soil 


. *The  material  mapped  as  Rough  stony  land  in  sections  23  and  26 
in  T.  5 N.,  R.  8 E.,  should  be  Clyde  silt  loam. 


G4 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


is  so  variable  that  no  satisfactory  classification  into  established 
types  can  be  made.  The  texture  ranges  from  a fine  to  a medium 
sand,  with  occasional  small  areas  that  are  much  heavier,  while 
the  color  varies  from  light  brown  to  nearly  black.  In  a few 
places  there  is  a shallow  covering  of  peat.  The  surface  is  nearly 
flat,  and  lies  only  a few  feet  above  the  level  of  the  adjoining 
river,  so  that  drainage  is  deficient  in  depressions.  The  soil  of 
these  areas  is  of  alluvial  origin,  having  been  deposited  by  the 
waters  of  the  Wisconsin  River.  Much  of  the  tract  is  timbered 
with  ascattered  growth  of  soft  maple,  willow,  elm  and  ash. 
About  the  only  agricultural  uses  to  which  these  tracts  can  be 
put  are  for  pasture  and  hay  land. 


GROUP  OF  MARSH  SOILS 


65 


CHAPTER  VII. 

GROUP  OF  MARSH  SOILS. 

PEAT. 

Extent  and  distribution. — Peat  is  extensively  developed  in 
Dane  County,  and  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the  glaciated 
region.  The  largest  areas  occur  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
county  in  Burke,  Sun  Prairie,  Medina,  York,  Deerfield,  Cottage 
Grove,  and  Blooming  Grove  Townships.  Smaller  areas  are  en- 
countered in  the  southeastern,  southcentral,  and  extreme  north- 
western sections. 

Description. — The  soil  mapped  as  Peat  consists  of  black  or 
dark-brown  vegetable  matter  in  varying  stages  of  decomposition, 
with  which  there  is  incorporated  a small  percentage  of  mineral 
matter.  It  ranges  in  depth  from  2 to  about  20  feet,  with  an  av- 
erage of  probably  5 feet.  The  greater  part  of  the  Peat  is  quite 
fibrous,  though  in  a number  of  places  it  is  fairly  well  decom- 
posed and  tenacious,  so  that  it  can  be  molded  into  different  forms 
by  the  hands.  When  dry  this  well-decomposed  Peat  somewhat 
resembles  a black  carbonaceous  clay.  Where  encountered  in 
areas  of  sandy  soils  the  underlying  material  is  frequently  sandy, 
while  in  regions  of  heavy  upland  soils  the  underlying  material 
is  clayey  in  character.  Most  of  the  areas  of  Peat  are  underlain 
by  material  as  heavy  as  a loam  or  heavier.  The  largest  areas 
underlain  by  sand  occur  in  the  valley  of  the  Wisconsin  Rrver  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  the  county.  In  this  region  there  are 
a few  small  sand  “islands”  in  the  Peat  areas  and  in  places  the 
underlying  sand  is  nearer  the  surface  than  usual.  Practically 
all  of  the  other  large  Peat  marshes  within  the  county  are  under- 
lain by  heavy  material. 

Topography  and  drainage. — The  Peat  areas  are  low,  level, 
and  very  poorly  drained.  During  early  spring  some  of  the 
marshes  are  entirely  covered  with  water,  while  later  in  the  sum- 
mer many  tracts  are  dry  enough  and  firm  enough  to  bear  the 
weight  of  farm  animals,  so  that  they  can  be  pastured  or  cut  for 


66 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


hay  where  there  is  a growth  of  wild  grasses.  The  natural  drain- 
age courses  have  been  deepened  and  large  open  ditchs  con- 
structed in  a number  of  the  marshes,  and  a considerable  part  of 
this  land  is  being  reclaimed  and  transformed  into  productive 
fields. 

Origin. — The  Peat  has  been  formed  through  the  growth  and 
partial  decomposition  in  the  presence  of  water  of  a rank  vegeta- 
tion, the  black  or  dark-colored  material  being  formed  largely 
from  grasses  and  sedges,  and  that  having  a brown  color  chiefly 
from  sphagnum  moss.  About  the  margin  of  the  larger  marshes, 
and  over  the  greater  part  of  the  smaller  ones,  varying  quanti- 
ties of  soil  from  the  adjoining  higher  land  have  been  washed  in 
and  incorporated  with  the  vegetable  matter.  Wherever  this  is 
sufficient  to  change  materially  the  texture  and  structure  of  the 
material  it  is  separated  and  mapped  as  Muck.  The  peat  beds  oc- 
cupy old  lake  basins,  ponded  valleys,  kettle  basins,  glacial 
sloughs,  and  other  depressions  in  the  uneven  surface  developed 
by  the  glacial  ice  sheet.  Peat  may  also  be  found  within  the 
flood  plain  of  many  of  the  streams.  Although  the  greater  part 
of  the  Peat  occurs  within  a region  where  the  upland  soils  are 
made  up  in  part  of  limestone  material,  some  of  it  is  in  an  acid 
condition.  This  is  usually  the  case  in  the  center  of  the  larger 
marshes,  while  many  of  the  smaller  ones  are  not  thus  affected. 

Native  vegetation. — The  native  growth  consists  chiefly  of  sev- 
eral varieties  of  grasses,  sedges,  and  some  arrowhead,  cat-tail, 
and  various  reeds  and  rushes.  Some  of  the  sphagnum  moss 
peat  beds  support  a growth  of  tamarack,  sumac,  huckleberry, 
and  some  quaking  aspen.  Where  the  Peat  is  shallow,  elm  and 
ash  are  sometimes  found. 

MUCK. 

Muck  consists  of  vegetable  matter  in  varying  stages  of  decom- 
position, with  which  there  is  incorporated  large  quantities  of 
mineral  matter.  It  may  be  considered  as  intermediate  between 
Peat  and  the  soils  of  the  Clyde  series.  In  some  places  the  sur- 
face material  is  Peat,  but  is  underlain  at  10  to  14  inches  by  silt 
loam  or  silty  clay  loam,  and  such  tracts  can  not  well  be  classi- 
fied with  the  true  Peat. 

Muck  is  not  of  large  extent  in  this  county,  and  it  occurs  only 
in  small  tracts  scattered  throughout  the  glaciated  section.  It 
occupies  about  the  same  topographic  position  as  Peat,  and  is 


VIEW  OF  RECLAIMED  PEAT  LAND  NEAR  DEERFIELD. 

There  are  over  50  000  acres  of  this  kind  of  marsh  land  in  Dane  County,  nearly  all  of  which  can  be  reclaimed.  At  pi’esent  com- 
paratively little  of  the  marsh  land  is  under  cultivation. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey.  Plate 


VIEW  OF  CORN  CROWING  ON  RECLAIMED  PEAT  LAND.  THIS  IS  PART  OF  THE  SAME  MARSH  SHOWN  IN  PLATE  IX. 


GROUP  OF  MARSH  SOILS 


67 


poorly  drained  and  usually  in  a swampy  condition.  It  is  so 
situated  that  most  of  it  could  be  drained  along  with  the  Peat. 
With  drainage  well  established  the  material  is  very  productive. 
In  its  present  condition,  however,  its  only  value  is  for  the 
pasturage  it  affords  and  the  marsh  hay  which  is  cut  from  some 
areas. 

AGRICULTURAL  VALUE  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF  PEAT  AND  MUCK. 

The  large  amount  of  marsh  land  occurring  in  Dane  County  so 
well  located  with  reference  to  market  and  transportation  facili- 
ties makes  it  important  to  consider  its  agricultural  possibilities 
quite  fully. 

The  question  of  the  actual  value  of  marsh  land  is  one  which 
depends  on  several  factors.  In  the  first  place,  the  farmer  whose 
land  is  largely  upland  and  well  drained  can  use  a small  amount 
of  marsh  land  to  very  much  better  advantage  than  can  the 
farmer  whose  land  is  essentially  all  marsh  land.  But  probably 
the  most  important  factor  determining  the  value  of  marsh  land 
will  be  the  crops  which  can  be  grown  on  it.  This  depends  on 
two  factors,  first  the  degree  of  drainage,  and  second  the  danger 
from  frost.  When  only  the  main  outlet  and  lateral  ditches 
have  been  installed,  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  hay  crops  are 
the  only  ones  which  can  be  safely  grown,  and  the  character  of 
the  hay  will  also  depend  a good  deal  on  the  character  of  the 
drainage.  In  the  case  of  peat  land  underlaid  by  sand  the  drain- 
age by  well-constructed  and  sufficiently  deep  ditches  40  to  80 
rods  apart  will,  in  most  cases,  give  adequate  drainage  for  this 
purpose.  When  the  peat  soil  is  underlaid  by  silt  or  clay,  how- 
ever, ditches  not  more  than  20  rods  apart  will  be  necessary  and 
these  must  lower  the  water  in  the  ditch  to  a point  4 to  5 feet  be- 
low the  surface  during  part  of  the  growing  period.  When 
tilled  crops,  such  as  corn,  cabbage,  or  potatoes,  or  small  grains 
are  to  be  grown,  the  drainage  must  be  more  certain,  and  over  the 
greater  portion  of  our  marsh  lands  this  will  mean  the  installa- 
tion of  drainage  systems  in  the  form  of  either  open  lateral 
ditches  or  of  tile  not  more  than  10  and  often  not  more  than  5 
rods  apart  on  the  average. 

Another  factor  which  must  be  considered  in  comparing  marsh 
and  upland  soils  is  that  of  fertility  as  determined  by  chemical 
composition.  Marsh  lands  are  abundantly  supplied  with  or- 
ganic matter  containing  nitrogen,  but  are  relatively  low  in  the 
elements  phosphorous  and  potassium.  The  marsh  lands  of 
Dane  County  are  rarely  acid  since  the  acidity  which  ordinarily 


68 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


develops  in  marsh  land  is  kept  neutralized  by  the  lime  carried 
down  from  surrounding  uplands.  Stable  mantire  can  be  used 
for  fertilizing  marsh  land  but  it  contains  large  amounts  of 
nitrogen,  which  the  marsh  soil  does  not  need  and  is  relatively 
low  in  phosphorous  and  contains  but  a moderate  amount  of 
potassium.  Moreover,  weeds  so  commonly  carried  into  the  land 
with  stable  manure  are  especially  hard  to  eradicate  on  this  class 
of  soil.  Ordinarily,  therefore,  it  is  more  satisfactory  to  use  com- 
mercial fertilizers  containing  phosphorous  and  potassium  on 
marsh  soils  than  stable  manure.  At  any  rate  this  is  true  when 
the  farm  contains  some  upland  soils  as  well  as  marsh  land,  since 
the  stable  manure  can  be  used  on  the  upland  while  the  com- 
mercial fertilizers  are  secured  for  use  on  marsh  land^ 

Marsh  lands  are  more  subject  to  early  fall  and  late  spring 
frosts  than  are  uplands,  partly  because  of  the  fact  that  the  cold 
air  developing  in  contact  with  the  soil  as  the  latter  loses  its  heat 
by  radiation  during  the  night,  flows  down  and  collects  over  the 
lower  land,  and  partly  because  the  loose,  spongy  nature  of  the 
peat  soil  prevents  the  heat  of  the  sun  from  penetrating  so  that 
all  except  the  mere  surface  is  cool,  and  this  loses  its  heat  quickly 
at  night,  therefore  increasing  the  tendency  to  frost.  This  loose 
character  of  the  soil  can  be  somewhat  improved  by  the  use  of  a 
heavy  roller  which  firms  the  soil  and  so  gives  it  better  heat  con-  ^ 
ductivity.  This  tendency  to  frost  reduces  somewhat  the  avail-  j 
ability  of  marsh  land  for  tender  crops,  but  in  Dane  County, 
potatoes  and  early  varieties  of  corn  on  marsh  lands  are  seldom  j 
injured  by  frost. 

The  large  water-holding  capacity  of  marsh  soils  together  with  j 
their  large  quantity  of  nitrogen  makes  them  suitable  for  crops, 
making  strong  growth  of  stock  or  leaf.  Among  the  staple  I 
crops,  hay  and  corn  are  best  suited  to  such  land.  Special  crops  ! 
such  as  cabbage,  hemp  and  sugar  beets  also  do  well,  but  these 
will  require  larger  amounts  of  potassium  and  phosphorous  fer-  j 
tilizers.  The  degree  of  drainage  must  also  be  considered  in  < 
selecting  the  crop  to  be  grown.  Timothy  and  alsike  clover  for  j 
hay  may  be  grown  on  marsh  land  having  insufficient  drainage  jj 
to  be  adapted  to  corn  or  other  crops  requiring  tillage. 


GENRAL  AGRICULTURE  OF  DANE  COUNTY 


69 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

GENERAL  AGRICULTURE  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 

Agriculture  was  first  practiced  in  Dane  County  about  1830. 
The  first  settlers  selected  the  rolling  timber  land  because  of  the 
ease  of  obtaining  wood  and  water,  and  also  on  account  of  the 
protection  from  the  winter  weather.  Settlers  from  Ohio  and 
Illinois  who  were  accustomed  to  farming  on  prairie  land  lo- 
cated more  often  along  the  edge  of  the  prairies,  and  as  the 
population  increased  the  prairie  lands  were  gradually  taken  up. 

The  early  agriculture  consisted  mainly  of  grain  production, 
with  the  growing  of  enough  garden  and  truck  crops  to  supply 
the  needs  of  the  family.  For  many  years  the  grains,  including 
wheat,  oats,  barley,  rye,  and  flax,  were  by  far  the  most  im- 
portant crops  grown,  and  of  these  wheat  was  much  the  most  im- 
portant. For  a number  of  years  it  exceeded  all  other  crops 
combined.  Wheat  was  in  many  cases  grown  in  the  same  field 
for  a long  period  of  years.  At  first  the  virgin  soil  produced 
excellent  yields,  but  the  continued  cropping,  together  with  the 
ravages  of  the  chinch  bug,  so  reduced  the  yields  that  the  crop 
could  not  be  produced  with  profit.  Grain  production  gradually 
gave  way  to  a more  diversified  system  of  farming.  Corn  and 
oats  proved  to  be  profitable,  and  the  raising  and  feeding  of  stock 
gradually  developed  into  an  important  dairy  industry.  To- 
bacco was  introduced  into  Dane  County  by  settlers  from  Ohio 
as  early  as  1853,  and  was  grown  on  the  “ prairies  ” in  the  south- 
eastern section.  From  this  beginning  tobacco  developed  into 
an  important  crop.  It  is  still  grown  extensively,  mainly  by 
Norwegians,  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county. 

The  type  of  agriculture  most  extensively  followed  in  Dane 
County  at  the  present  time  consists  of  general  farming  in  con- 
junction with  dairying.  A number  of  special  crops  receive  at- 
tiontion,  and  among  these  tobacco  is  by  far  the  most  important. 
Peas,  sugar  beets,  and  potatoes  are  grown.  The  general  farm 


70 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


crops  are  corn,  oats,  barley,  rye,  wheat,  buckwheat,  timothy, 
clover,  and  alfalfa. 

Corn  is  grown  more  extensively  than  any  of  the  other  culti- 
vated crops.  In  1909,  according  to  the  census,  107,182  acres 
were  devoted  to  corn,  with  a production  of  3,501,937  bushels. 
White  and  yellow  dent  varieties  are  most  popular.  The  corn  is 
usually  cut  with  a harvester  and  husked  from  the  shock,  the 
stover  being  stacked  in  the  field  or  shredded  and  stored  in  the 
barn  for  coarse  winter  feed.  In  recent  years  many  silos  have 
been  built  and  a large  part  of  the  corn  is  now  used  for  ensilage. 

Oats  are  second  in  importance  to  corn.  The  census  of  1910 
reports  99,968  acres  in  oats  in  the  county,  with  a production  of 
3,157,306  bushels.  Practically  the  entire  crop  is  used  for  feed 
on  the  farms,  comparatively  little  being  placed  on  the  market. 
Miami  silt  loam  and  the  better  areas  of  Knox  silt  loam  produce 
oats  of  the  highest  quality,  though  Carrington  silt  loam  and 
other  black  prairie  types  often  give  larger  yields  per  acre. 

Barley  is  an  important  crop  in  many  sections.  With  a 
number  of  farmers  it  is  the  chief  cash  crop  grown.  In  1909 
there  were  34,873  acres  in  barley,  producing  a total  of  910,388 
bushels.  The  acreage  devoted  to  this  crop  has  been  gradually 
decreasing,  chiefly  because  of  a reduction  in  the  yields  obtained. 
The  barley  is  grown  almost  entirely  on  the  heavy  soils  of  the 
county. 

Rye  is  not  grown  extensively,  but  in  some  parts  of  the  county 
it  is  an  important  crop.  From  3,247  acres  in  1909  a total  vol- 
ume of  46,003  bushels  was  harvested.  The  growing  of  rye  is 
confined  almost  entirely  to  the  sandy  types  of  soil.  It  is  planted 
as  a grain  crop,  for  green  manuring,  and  for  pasturage.  On 
the  sandy  loam  types  very  satisfactory  yields  are  usual,  and 
during  years  of  at  least  normal  rainfall  good  crops  are  often  ob- 
tained on  some  of  the  more  sandy  types. 

The  acreage  devoted  to  wheat,  which  Avas  at  one  time  the  most 
important  crop  in  the  county,  is  at  present  small.  The  1910 
census  reports  2,522  acres  in  wheat,  with  a production  of 
48,595  bushels.  Although  the  average  yields  are  low,  where 
grown  in  a good  crop  rotation  wheat  usually  gives  very  satis- 
factory yields. 

Buckwheat  is  grown  to  a very  small  extent  and  is  confined 
largely  to  the  low  sandy  soils  of  the  county.  In  1909,  225  acres 
in  the  county  were  devoted  to  buckwheat,  producing  4,218 
bushels. 


GENRAL  AGRICULTURE  OF  DARE  COUNTY 


71 


Of  the  hay  crops  grown  in  Dane  County  timothy  and  clover 
are  the  most  important.  It  is  the  common  practice  to  sow  these 
together,  with  some  small  grain  as  a nurse  crop.  The  medium 
red  is  the  most  popular  clover  grown.  Some  difficulty  has  been 
experienced  in  getting  a good  stand  of  clover  during  recent 
years,  owing  to  winter-killing  in  the  late  winter,  when  the 
ground  is  alternately  freezing  and  thawing.  On  certain  types 
of  soil  an  acid  condition  exists,  which  is  detrimental  to  best  re- 
sults with  leguminous  plants,  including  clover.  On  the  heavier 
soils  and  where  drainage  is  somewhat  deficient  alsike  is  being 
grown  to  a considerable  extent,  as  a stand  can  usually  be  ob- 
tained more  easily  than  with  the  medium  red  clover.  Mam- 
moth clover  does  well  on  the  lighter  soils,  but  on  the  heavy  types 
it  is  coarse  and  not  so  satisfactory  as  the  ^medium  red.  Both 
timothy  and  clover  are  sometimes  seeded  alone  and  cut  for  seed 
as  well  as  for  hay.  Over  the  low,  marshy  tracts  within  the 
county  many  tons  of  marsh  hay  are  cut  each  year,  but  this  is  of 
inferior  quality. 

Alfalfa  is  becoming  a very  important  crop,  especially  in  the 
dairy  districts.  Three  cuttings  can  always  be  counted  on,  and 
the  average  yield  per  acre  is  3 tons  per  year.  Alfalfa  can  be 
grown  on  many  of  the  different  soil  types  in  the  county  when 
the  soil  is  put  in  proper  condition.  A good  stand  is  always 
gotten  where  the  field  is  inoculated,  well  supplied  with  stable 
manure,  and  in  a sweet  condition.  It  is  a good  practice  to  sow 
a small  quantity  of  alfalfa  seed  with  clover  and  timothy  so  as 
to  get  the  field  inoculated  for  the  alfalfa  crop. 

The  acreage  of  emmer  and  spelt  grown  in  Dane  County  in 
1909  was  small.  A total  of  226  acres  produced  7,875  bushels. 

In  addition  to  the  general  farm  crops,  several  others  which 
may  be  classed  as  special  crops  are  produced,  and  among  these 
the  most  important  are  tobacco,  potatoes,  sugar  beets  and  peas. 

Dane  County  holds  first  place  in  Wisconsin  in  the  production 
of  tobacco.  In  1909,  of  a total  acreage  of  40,458  acres  devoted 
to  this  leaf  within  the  State,  16,789  acres  were  in  Dane  County, 
and  the  output  for  the  county  is  reported  as  20,932,967  pounds. 
Almost  one-half  of  this  was  produced  in  the  four  southeastern 
townships  of  the  county.  Stoughton,  in  Dane  County,  and 
Edgerton,  just  across  the  line  in  Rock  County,  are  approxi- 
mately the  center  of  Wisconsin’s  tobacco-growing  section.  Most 
of  the  tabocca  grown  is  of  the  Comstock’s  Spanish  variety. 
About  85  per  cent  is  sold  as  binder  tobacco,  and  the  remainder, 


72 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


consisting  chiefly  of  broken  leaves  and  stems,  as  filler.  Binder  to- 
bacco usually  sells  for  7 to  14  cents  a pound,  and  filler  for  about 
2 cents  a pound.  The  average  yield  is  about  1,200  pounds  per 
acre.  Tobacco  is  grown  most  extensively  on  Carrington  and 
Miami  siltdoams.  The  choicest  land  for  tobacco  appears  to  be 
near  areas  of  Carrington  fine  sandy  loam  where  there  is  just  a 
little  sand  mixed  with  the  silt. 

The  crop  is  fertilized  with  stable  manure,  very  little  com- 
mercial fertilizer  being  used.  In  order  to  maintain  the  pro- 
ductiveness of  the  tobacco  land  and  provide  a very  rich  soil,  20 
to  40  loads  of  manure  are  applied  per  acre.  As  about  10  acres 
of  tobacco  are  grown  on  the  average  by  each  of  the  planters  in 
the  tobacco  section,  it  takes  all  of  the  manure  produced  on  the 
farm  to  supply  this  one  field,  and  as  a result  the  remainder  of 
the  farm  can  not  be  manured. 

This  practice  of  applying  practically  all  the  manure  of  the 
farm  to  the  tobacco  fields  has  a bad  effect  on  the  remainder  of 
the  farm  which  in  many  instances  is  not  farmed  profitably. 
When  tobacco  or  any  other  special  crop  requiring  heavy  ma- 
nure is  grown,  some  method  of  increasing  the  nitrogen  and  or- 
ganic matter  should  be  used  so  that  a part  at  least  of  the  ma- 
nure can  be  used  on  the  other  parts  of  the  farm.  It  would  be 
possible  on  most  farms  on  which  tobacco  is  grown  to  use  two 
fields  for  this  crop  alternately.  After  tobacco  has  been  grown 
three  years  on  a field,  this  field  could  be  planted  the  next  year 
to  corn,  the  second  to  oats  seeded  to  clover,  and  the  second 
growth  of  clover  grown  during  the  third  year  should  be  plowed 
under  to  increase  the  organic  matter  and  to  secure  the  nitrogen 
which  tobacco  needs.  If  on  this  clover  sod  a good  application 
of  commercial  fertilizers  containing  right  amounts  of  phosphorus 
and  potassium  is  made,  this  will  make  unnecessary  the  use  of 
manure  on  the  field  for  that  year,  and  the  amount  for  the  next 
year  may  be  lessened,  so  that  about  one-half  the  manure  would 
be  available  for  other  fields  on  the  farm. 

If  in  addition  to  this,  proper  rotation  be  maintained  on  the 
remainder  of  the  farm  so  that  clover  be  grown  every  third  or 
fourth  year,  and  as  far  as  possible  the  second  growth  of  clover 
plowed  under,  this  will  overcome  much  of  the  difficulty  of  main- 
taining the  fertility  on  tobacco  farms. 

This  practice  of  growing  clover  alternately  will  also  reduce 
the  amount  of  erosion  or  washing  which  is  often  quite  serious 


GENRAL  AGRICULTURE  OF  DANE  COUNTY  78 

on  tobacco  fields  on  side  hills.  It  is  probable  that  some  kind  of 
green  manuring  crop  could  also  be  sown  in  the  tobacco  field  at 
the  last  cultivation  so  as  to  still  further  increase  the  supply  of 
organic  matter.  This  interchange  of  fields  for  tobacco  will  also 
assist  in  preventing  the  development  of  diseases  to  which  this 
crop  is  subject. 

Potatoes,  while  not  an  important  crop  commercially,  are 
grown  quite  generally  in  small  fields  in  the  sandy  sections  of 
the  county,  and  in  all  parts  the  tuber  is  grown  to  a sufficient  ex- 
tent to  supply  home  needs.  The  1910  census  reports  5,883  acres 
in  potatoes  in  1909,  with  a production  of  679,675  bushels.  The 
Early  Rose,  Early  Ohio,  Rural  New  Yorker,  and  Peerless  are 
among  the  varieties  most  commonly  grown. 

Sugar  beets  are  grown  quite  extensively  on  some  of  the 
heavier  types  of  soil,  chiefly  Carrington  silt  loam  and  Miami 
silt  loam.  In  1909,  from  1,247  acres,  a production  of  14,060 
tons  is  reported.  A beet-sugar  factory  is  located  at  Madison, 
and  a large  percentage  of  the  best  tonnage  is  shipped  to  this 
point.  It  is  customary  for  the  farmers  to  put  in  the  crop  and 
attend  to  the  implement  cultivation,  while  the  factory  furnishes 
labor  to  do  the  hand  work,  such  as  thinning,  weeding,  and 
topping,  for  which  a charge  of  $20  per  acre  is  made.  Yields 
range  from  8 to  18  tons  per  acre,  and  the  usual  selling  price 
f.  o.  b.  is  $5.50  to  $6  per  ton,  depending  upon  the  sugar  content. 
The  sugar  content  of  beets  grown  on  Miami  silt  loam  is  a little 
higher  than  that  of  those  grown  on  Carrington  silt  loam  or  other 
dark-colored  soils,  but  the  yield  is  usually  higher  on  the  dark 
soils,  and  the  net  returns  usually  a little  larger  than  from  the 
light-colored  types.  The  sugar  beet  is  a heavy  feeder  and  the 
soil  must  be  highly  fertile  to  produce  the  largest  yields  which 
are  necessary  to  profit  in  the  growing  of  this  crop.  If  sugar 
beets  are  to  be  grown  regularly  to  any  extent  proper  care  must 
be  taken  that  they  are  not  grown  at  the  expense  of  other  crops 
by  the  use  of  the  largest  part  of  the  manure  of  the  farm  on  the 
beet  field.  If  they  are  grown  on  land  on  which  a good  second 
growth  of  clover  or  other  legume  has  been  plowed  under  and  to 
which  some  commercial  fertilizers  have  been  added,  the  amount 
of  manure  used  can  be  greatly  lessened.  This  will  not  only  as- 
sist in  maintaining  the  fertility  of  the  farm  as  a whole  but  will 
reduce  the  difficulty  in  keeping  the  beet  fields  free  from  weeds. 
The  proper  fertilizers  to  use  in  this  way  will  depend  on  the  type 


74 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


of  soil.  When  beets  are  to  be  grown  on  upland  light-colored 
soil  or  clay  loam  soil,  the  fertilizers  should  be  one  containing 
chiefly  available  phosphorus,  such  as  acid  phosphate  or  ground 
steamed  bone  meal.  When  the  beets  are  being  grown  on  black 
or  marshy  soil  fertilizers  should  be  high  in  potash  but  should 
also  contain  phosphorus. 

Peas  for  canning  and  also  for  seed  are  grown  quite  extensively 
in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county  and  to  a small  extent  in 
the  northwestern  section.  One  canning  factory  is  located 
within  the  county,  at  Sun  Prairie.  A large  factory  is  operated 
at  Columbus,  which  is  but  a few  miles  distant  from  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  the  county.  Another  factory  is  located  at 
Sauk  City,  a few  miles  from  the  northwestern  corner  of  the 
county.  Yields  range  from  2,000  to  2,200  pounds  per  acre  of 
shelled  peas  for  canning,  for  which  the  farmers  received  2 to 
2 y2  cents  per  pound.  In  order  to  obviate  long  hauls  viners  are 
located  throughout  the  pea-growing  sections,  making  possible 
the  extension  of  the  industry  beyond  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  canning  factory.  In  sections  too  far  removed  from  factory 
and  viners  seed  peas  are  grown.  The  usual  yields  range  from 
15  to  20  bushels  per  acre,  and  the  price  varies  from  $1.50  to 
$2  per  bushel.  The  varieties  chiefly  grown  are  the  Alaska,  a 
fery  early  pea,  and  the  Advance,  Admiral,  and  Horseford, 
which  are  later.  Peas  are  proving  to  be  profitable,  and,  being  a 
legume,  they  get  part  of  their  nitrogen  from  the  air  through  the 
nodules  on  the  roots  but  probably  do  not  take  nearly  as  large  a 
part  of  their  nitrogen  in  this  way  as  do  clover  and  alfalfa. 
Moreover  where  the  vines  are  removed  from  the  farm  nearly  all 
the  nitrogen  goes  with  them  as  the  root  system  is  small.  On  the 
whole  therefore  it  is  best  to  think  of  the  pea  as  one  wmuld  of 
corn  and  grow  in  rotation  on  a clover  sod  or  on  land  which  has 
been  manured. 

The  pea  is  greatly  benefited  by  the  use  of  ground  limestone 
on  land  which  is  acid.  Miami  silt  loam  has  been  found  es- 
pecially suited  to  peas.  They  also  do  well  on  Carrington  silt 
loam,  but  the  quality  is  not  quite  so  high  as  of  those  grown  on 
Miami  silt  loam. 

The  growing  of  truck  crops  on  a commercial  scale  has  been  de- 
veloped in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Madison,  where  most  of  the 


sandy  types  of  the  county  are  very  well  adapted  to  the  truck- 


GENRAL  AGRICULTURE  OF  DARE  COUNTY 


75 


ing  industry.  Nearly  every  farm  has  a garden  in  which  most 
of  the  common  vegetables  are  grown  for  home  use,  but  there  are 
only  a few  places  in  the  vicinity  of  towns  where  trucking  is  en- 
gaged in  on  a commercial  scale. 

The  fruit  industry  has  not  been  developed  commercially,  ex- 
cept in  a few  orchards,  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  Madison,  where 
small  fruits  and  berries,  such  as  raspberries,  blackberries,  cur- 
rants, and  strawberries,  are  grown.  Apples  are  grown  in  small 
orchards  on  many  of  the  farms,  but  there  are  no  large  commer- 
cial orchards  within  the  county.  There  are  a large  number  of 
excellent  orchard  sites,  especially  in  the  western  and  south- 
western parts  of  the  county,  where  the  soils  are  favorable  for 
apple  culture,  and  it  would  seem  that  apple  growing  could  be 
profitably  developed  on  a commercial  scale. 

Considered  from  the  standpoint  of  returns,  dairying  is  the 
most  important  industry  in  Dane  County.  In  1913  there  were 
within  the  county  90  cheese  factories,  50  creameries,  and  4 
skimming  stations,  and  a large  condensery  is  located  at 
Middleton. 

In  the  western  and  southwestern  sections  of  the  county,  where 
the  surface  is  quite  rough  and  broken,  and  where  corn  can  not 
be  grown  as  profitably  as  in  other  sections,  mainly  on  account 
of  the  danger  from  erosion  on  the  steep  slopes,  farming  condi- 
tions are  somewhat  different  from  those  in  sections  where  the 
topography  will  permit  the  extensive  growing  of  all  intertilled 
crops.  The  Swiss  cheese  industry  which  centers  in  Green 
County  to  the  south  is  developed  to  a considerable  extent  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  Dane  County.  A somewhat  higher  alti- 
tude and  consequent  cooler  nights  together  with  the  fine  quality 
of  the  pasture  grasses  are  favorable  conditions  for  this  variety 
of  cheese.  In  other  sections  of  the  county  creameries  are  more 
numerous,  corn  is  grown  more  extensively,  and  hog  raising  is  a 
more  important  branch  of  agriculture. 

In  the  production  of  beef  cattle  Dane  County  ranks  first  in 
the  State.  Throughout  the  tobacco-growing  section,  where 
dairying  is  of  little  importance,  it  is  a common  practice  to 
fatten  cattle  each  year  in  conjunction  with  the  general  farming 
operations  which  are  carried  on  by  the  tobacco  growers.  In 
other  parts  of  the  county  the  feeding  of  beef  cattle  is  a minor 
activity. 

Horses  are  raised  on  many  farms,  but  seldom  as  the  main  pro- 


76 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF. DANE  COUNTY . 


duct.  Most  farmers  raise  their  own  work  stock,  and  frequently 
horses  are  sold.  The  quality  of  the  sires  used  is  gradually  be- 
ing improved,  with  the  result  that  larger  and  better  work 
horses  are  taking  the  place  of  the  smaller  stock. 

Sheep  are  raised  only  to  a comparatively  small  extent.  It  is 
a fact  that  sheep  are  not  raised  as  extensively  in  the  rougher 
portions  of  the  county,  where  there  is  a large  acreage  of  graz- 
ing land,  as  in  the  sections  where  land  values  are  higher  ana 
where  the  soil  is  well  adapted  to  a large  variety  of  cultivated 
crops.  There  are  several  flocks  of  purebred  sheep,  but  the  total 
number  of  sheep  in  the  county  is  small.  It  would  seem  that  the 
rougher  land  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county  would  be 
very  well  adapted  to  the  sheep  raising  business.  The  use  of  side 
hills  for  pasturage  would  greatly  reduce  the  erosion  or  wash  to 
which  this  land  is  subject  when  in  cultivated  crops. 

Hog  raising  is  carried  on  quite  extensively  in  all  parts  of  the 
county  except  the  southwestern  section,  where  cheese  produc- 
tion is  important.  Hogs  are  most  numerous  in  sections  where 
butter  is  the  chief  dairy  product. 

Farmers  are  beginning  to  realize  the  value  of  the  adaptation 
of  crops  to  soils.  It  is  generally  recognized  that  certain  crops 
produce  higher  yields  and  are  of  better  quality  on  certain  soils 
than  on  others.  Peas,  for  instance,  appear  to  do  best  on  Miami 
silt  loam.  Corn  makes  its  best  growth  on  the  dark-colored 
soils,  such  as  Carrington  silt  loam,  Dodgeville  silt  loam,  and 
Waukesha  silt  loam.  On  these  dark  soils,  having  a large  per- 
centage of  organic  matter,  small  grains  are  likely  to  lodge  and 
the  quality  of  the  grain  is  not  so  good  as  on  the  light-colored 
heavy  soils  of  the  county.  The  grasses  appear  to  do  best  on  the 
dark-colored  soils  of  heavy  texture.  Potatoes  of  the  best 
quality  are  grown  on  the  sandy  and  sandy  loam  types.  Local 
conditions,  however,  often  are  such  as  to  make  it  impossible  to 
conform  strictly  to  the  growing  of  crops  best  adapted  to  a 
given  soil.  Since  a rotation  of  crops  is  almost  imperative  in 
order  to  assist  in  the  eradication  of  weeds  and  to  make  it  pos- 
sible to  apply  the  manure  on  the  farm  to  the  crop  most  needing 
it,  it  is  impossible  to  adapt  the  crop  completely  to  the  type  of 
soil  on  which  it  is  grown,  but  the  system  of  farming  followed  on 
each  farm  should  be  that  in  which  the  crops  best  suited  to  the 
predominating  type  of  soil  are  grown  as  extensively  as  possible. 
That  is  to  say,  on  dark  colored  prairie  soils  corn  should  be 
grown  and  used  to  a large  extent,  while  relatively  less  small 


GENRAL  AGRICULTURE  OF  DANE  COUNTY 


77 


grain  should  be  grown.  On  a more  rolling  land  of  lighter- 
colored  soils  pasture  should  be  used  more  extensively,  more 
small  grains  should  be  grown  and  less  dependence  put  on  corn. 

A rotation  quite  common  for  the  light-colored,  heavy-textured 
soils  of  the  county  consists  of  corn  one  year,  followed  by  oats,  and 
then  barley,  or  wheat  seeded  with  timothy  and  clover.  Hay  is 
usually  cut  for  • two  years  before  the  field  is  again  plowed  for 
corn.  On  the  prairie  soils  corn  is  quite  often  grown  two  years 
in  succession,  and  followed  by  grain  and  hay  crops. 

The  most  troublesome  weeds  in  Dane  County  probably  are 
the  Canada  thistle,  quack  grass,  wild  mustard,  and  wild  morn- 
ing glory.  The  amount  of  damage  caused  by  such  pests  is  not 
fully  appreciated,  and  there  is  a general  need  of  additional  ef- 
forts toward  their  eradication. 

The  farm  buildings  throughout  the  county,  as  a rule,  are  well 
constructed,  substantial,  and  kept  in  good  repair.  The  silo 
forms  a part  of  the  equipment  of  most  of  the  dairy  farms.  The 
fields  are  generally  well  fenced,  and  woven  wire  is  coming  into 
common  use. 

Windmills  are  quite  common,  though  on  many  farms  gasoline 
engines  are  used  for  pumping  w^ater  and  running  various  kinds 
of  the  lighter  machinery.  In  general  the  appearance  of  the 
farmsteads  indicates  thrifty  and  prosperous  agricultural  con- 
ditions. 

The  supply  of  hired  help  for  the  farms  is  usually  limited. 
The  members  of  the  family  do  most  of  the  farm  work.  Farm 
laborers  are  usually  paid  $30  to  $40  per  month  with  board. 
During  haying  and  harvesting,  day  laborers  are  paid  $1.50  to 
$2,  and  sometimes  as  much  as  $2.50.  During  the  season  of 
1913,  tobacco  laborers  hoeing  and  harvesting  the  crop,  received 
$3  and  $3.50  per  day. 

The  census  of  1910  reports  a total  of  6,058  farms  in  Dane 
County,  comprising  95.7  per  cent  of  its  area.  Of  these  farms, 
73.2  per  cent  are  operated  by  the  owners,  the  remainder  being 
divided  in  the  ratio  of  about  3 to  2 between  share  and  cash 
tenants.  The  average  size  of  the  farm  is  122  acres,  of  which 
on  an  average  88  acres  are  improved. 

The  value  of  farm  land  varies  widely  with  the  different  types 
of  soil.  The  highest  priced  land  in  the  county  is  in  the  tobacco 
growing  section,  where  small  farms  of  choice  tobacco  lands  are 
held  at  prices  in  the  vicinity  of  $200  to  $250  an  acre,  and  some 
at  even  a higher  figure.  Larger  farms  on  Carrington  silt  loam 


78 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


and  Miami  silt  loam  are  valued  at  $125  to  $150  an  acre.  On  the 
other  hand,  some  of  the  farms  on  the  sand  types  are  held  at  $25 
to  $40  an  acre.  In  the  driftless  region  land  values  depend  on 
the  percentage  of  rough,  steep  land  included  in  a farm,  and  the 
prices  range  from  $40  to  about  $125  or  more  an  acre.  Lo- 
cation, character  of  soil,  and  improvements  are  factors  which 
determine  the  value  of  farm  land.  The  average  value  of  land 
in  Dane  County  was  reported  in  the  1900  census  as  $41.20  an 
acre.  In  1910  the  average  value  is  given  as  $72.73. 

Although  the  agriculture  of  Dane  County  is  in  a compara- 
tively high  state  of  development,  there  are  certain  lines  along 
which  improvement  is  needed.  One  great  deficiency  of  all  the 
light-colored  soils  of  the  county  is  organic  matter.  This  is  ef- 
fectively supplied  by  supplementing  the  stable  manure  with 
green-manuring  crops,  of  which  the  legumes  are  the  best.  By 
increasing  the  supply  of  organic  matter,  not  only  is  plant  food 
added  but  the  water-holding  capacity  of  the  soil  is  increased 
and  the  structure  of  the  heavy  soils  is  improved.  Litmus  tests 
made  during  the  progress  of  the  survey  indicate  that  an  acid 
condition  exists  in  some  of  the  types.  This  condition  can  be 
corrected  by  the  application  of  ground  limestone  or  some  other 
form  of  lime.  Before  alfalfa  can  be  grown  successfully  the 
soil  should  be  in  a sweet  condition  and  inoculated.  There  is  a 
general  need  for  greater  attention  to  the  systematic  rotation  of 
crops  in  order  to  secure  combinations  best  suited  to  soil  condi- 
tions on  the  farm.  More  thorough  methods  of  cultivation,  es- 
pecially of  intertilled  crops,  are  needed.  Thorough  cultiva- 
tion helps  to  conserve  soil  moisture.  As  a rule  the  selection  of 
seed  does  not  receive  proper  attention. 

With  certain  special  crops,  such  as  tobacco  and  sugar  beetsr 
commercial  fertilizers,  properly  tested,  are  valuable  as  a supple- 
ment to  stable  manure,  of  which  the  supply  is  usually  in- 
adequate. The  growing  of  alfalfa  and  of  other  legumes,  such 
as  peas  and  beans,  is  beneficial  to  the  soil  and  could  be  profi- 
tably extended. 

The  drainage  of  wet  lands  affords  an  extensive  field  for  de- 
velopment. Aside  from  the  large  marshes,  there  are  on  many 
farms  small  patches  of  wet  land  which  could  be  tilled  at  little 
expense,  materially  increasing  the  productive  area  of  the  farms. 
Many  areas  of  Peat,  with  proper  drainage,  are  capable  of  pro- 
ducing profitable  crops.  Land  values  are  so  high  as  to  en- 
courage the  reclamation  of  nonproducing  tracts. 


CLIMATE 


79 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CLIMATE.* 

“Among  the  factors  which  influence  the  agriculture  of  a 
State  none  is  more  important  than  the  climate.  The  class  of 
crops  which  can  be  grown  is  largely  determined  by  the  length 
of  the  growing  season  and  the  amount  and  distribution  of  the 
rainfall,  so  that  the  climate  may  determine  the  type  of  agricul- 
ture which  can  be  practiced  to  best  advantage.” 

“The  distribution  of  rainfall  over  Wisconsin  is  remarkably 
uniform,  the  average  yearly  precipitation  ranging  from  28  to 
34  inches,  while  the  mean  for  the  State  as  a whole  is  31  inches. 
This  is  a slightly  heavier  rainfall  than  is  received  by  eastern 
England,  northern  France  and  most  of  Germany  and  Sweden. 
As  compared  with  other  sections  of  this  country,  Wisconsin  has 
a total  rainfall  equal  to  that  of  central  Oklahoma  and  Kansas, 
northern  Iowa,  Michigan,  northwestern  New  York,  or  the  Puget 
Sound  Basin  of  Washington.  Owing  to  its  northern  location, 
however,  the  lessened  evaporation  probably  makes  the  precipita- 
tion as  effective  as  that  of  Arkansas,  Illinois,  or  Virginia.  ’ ’ 

The  local  distribution  of  rainfall  varies,  however,  from  year 
to  year,  the  variation  being  caused  by  the  movement  of  cyclonic 
storms.  Since  authentic  records  have  been  kept  the  average  rain- 
fall for  the  State  during  the  driest  year  was  21.4  inches  and  dur- 
ing the  wettest  year  37  inches.  For  Dane  County  the  total  pre- 
cipitation for  the  driest  year  recorded  was  13.49  inches  and  for 
the  wettest  year  52.91  inches.  The  mean  annual  precipitation 
is  31.25  inches. 

“Of  equal  importance  in  agriculture  to  the  total  amount  of 
rainfall  is  its  seasonal  distribution,  and  in  this  respect  Wiscon- 
sin is  favorably  situated,  since  about  half  of  the  total  rainfall 
occurs  in  May,  June,  July,  and  August,  and  nearly  70  per  cent 


*Ths  chapter  has  been  taken  largely  from  Wisconsin  Bulletin  223 
on  The  Climate  of  Wisconsin  and  its  Relation  to  Agriculture.  This 
bulletin  should  be  consulted  if  more  information  is  desired  concerning 
climate.  All  quotations  indicated  are  taken  from  this  bulletin. 


80 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY . 


from  April  to  September,  inclusive.  The  rainfall  is  heaviest  in 
June,  averaging  4.01  inches,  while  in  July  it  averages  3.8  inches 
and  in  May  3.66  inches.  The  precipitation  during  the  winter, 
on  the  other  hand,  is  slight,  December,  January,  and  February 
each  averaging  somewhat  over  1.5  inches..  The  average  rainfall 
for  the  State  during  the  winter  is  3.9  inches,  during  spring  8.3 
inches,  summer  11.4  inches,  and  fall  7.4  inches.  For  Dane 
County  it  is  4.85  inches  during  the  winter,  8.28  inches  during 
the  spring,  10.96  inches  for  the  summer  months,  and  7.16  inches 
for  the  fall.  Most  of  the  rainfall  occurs  just  preceding  and  dur- 
ing the  period  of  plant  growth ; thus,  the  growing  season — April 
to  September,  inclusive — has  an  average  of  20.24  inches,  which 
is  as  much  rain  as  is  received  during  the  same  months  by  eastern 
Texas,  Illinois,  Ohio,  or  eastern  New  York.  Owing  to  the  small 
winter  precipitation,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  practically  no 
leaching  of  fertility  from  the  soil  or  erosion. ’ ’ 

Another  phase  of  rainfall  distribution  of  great  importance  is 
its  variation  within  a period  of  a few  weeks.  Frequently  peri- 
ods of  drought  and  periods  of  unusually  heavy  rainfall  occur, 
continuing  for  one  week  to  four  weeks  and  occasionally  longer. 
Observations  taken  at  Madison  over  a period  of  thirty  years, 
from  1882  to  1911,  inclusive,  show  that  there  are  on  the  average 
three  ten-day  periods  during  each  growing  season  when  the 
amount  of  rainfall  is  so  slight  that  crops  on  a moderately  heavy 
soil,  such  as  the  Miami  silt  loam,  actually  suffer  from  lack  of 
moisture. 

The  eastern  and  southeastern  sections  of  Dane  County  are  in- 
cluded within  the  Rock  River  Basin,  which  is  one  of  the  eight 
climatic  provinces  in  Wisconsin.  This  section  has  the  longest 
growing  season  of  any  in  the  State,  averaging  about  170  days, 
which  is  as  long  as  that  of  central  Illinois,  longer  than  that  of 
central  Indiana  or  Ohio,  and  about  equal  to  that  of  the  Valley 
of  Virginia  and  that  of  central  Maryland.  The  mean  annual 
temperature  in  Dane  County  is  45.7°  F.  The  winters  here  are 
cooler  than  along  the  Lake,  and  the  springs  and  summers  are 
warmer.  This  section  is  the  best  corn  area  in  the  State.  The 
temperature  of  the  Rock  River  Basin  in  summer  is  similar  to 
that  of  northern  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio,  and  southwestern  Penn- 
sylvania, while  in  winter  it  is  comparable  with  that  of  southern 
Vermont,  northern  Iowa,  or  Montana.  During  seven  summer 
days  on  the  average  each  year  the  thermometer  may  go  as  high 
as  90°  and  during  five  winter  mornings  on  an  average  it  may 


FIG.  2.  Sketch  map  showing  the  average  dates  of  the  FIG.  3.  Sketch  map  showing  the  average  dates  of  the 

last  killing  frost  in  the  spring.  first  killing  frost  in  the  fall. 


CLIMATE 


81 


■<  s 


o 

o 


82 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


fall  to  10°  below  zero  or  lower.  The  highest  temperature  re- 
corded in  the  county  is  104°  F.,  and  the  lowest — 29°  F.  Such  ex- 
tremes are  of  rare  occurrence  and  of  short  duration.  The  south- 
western and  a part  of  the  western  sections  of  Dane  County  have 
a somewhat  shorter  growing  season,  and  are  included  in  what  is 
known  as  the  Southern  Highlands.  The  average  elevation  is 
somewhat  greater  than  that  of  the  eastern  and  southeastern 
parts  of  the  county  and  the  growing  season  ranges  from  ten  to 
twenty  days  shorter. 

The  average  date  of  the  last  killing  frost  in  the  spring  is 
April  22 ; the  latest  date  of  killing  frost  recorded  is  May  13. 
The  average  date  of  the  first  killing  frost  in  the  fall  is  October 
18,  while  the  earliest  date  recorded  is  September  29. 

The  following  table  gives  the  normal  monthly,  seasonal,  and 
annual  temperature  and  precipitation  as  recorded  by  the 
Weather  Bureau  station  at  Madison: 


Normal  monthly , seasonal,  and  annual  temperature  and  precipitation  at 

Madison. 


Temperature. 

Precipitation 

Month 

Mean. 

Absolute 

maximum. 

Absolute 

minimum. 

Mean. 

Total 
amount 
for  the 
driest 
year. 

Total 
amount 
for  the 
wettest 
year. 

December 

°F. 

22.8 

°F . 
60 

°F. 

—28 

Inches. 

1.72 

Inches , 

1.80 

Inches. 

1.32 

.]  anuary 

16.9 

58 

—29 

1.68 

1.12 

2.05 

February  

18.7 

63 

-28 

1.50 

0.26 

5.42 

Winter 

19.5 

4.85 

3.18 

8.79 

March 

BO. 4 
45.6 

86 

—12 

2.08 

0.27 

4.34 

April 

86 

8 

2.54 

1.06 

1.50 

M ay 

57.6 

90 

23 

3.66 

2.58 

4.25 

Spring1 

44  5 

8.25 

3.91 

10.09 

June 

67.3 

98 

38 

4.01 

0.59 

4.15 

July 

72.0 

104 

48 

3.80 

1.21 

9.47 

August 

69.8 

96 

46 

3.15 

2.08 

0.56 

Summer 

69.7 

10.96 

3.88 

14.18 

September 

62.3 

93 

29 

12 

3.08 

0.91 

8.17 

0.12 

October 

50.0 

84 

2.32 

0.58 

November 

35.1 

69 

-14 

1.76 

1.03 

2.56 

Fall 

49.1 

7.16 

2.52 

19.85 

* 



Year 

45.7 

104 

i 

—29 

31.25 

13.49 

52791 

SUMMARY 


83 


SUMMARY 

Dane  County  is  located  in  the  south-central  part  of  Wisconsin, 
and  comprises  an  area  of  1,202  square  miles,  or  769,280  acres. 
The  surface  varies  from  level  or  gently  undulating  prairies  and 
outwash  plains  to  hilly  and  broken  country.  From  the  stand- 
points of  physiography  and  geology  the  county  falls  naturally 
into  two  broad  divisions — the  driftless  western  part  of  the 
county,  where  the  surface  configuration  is  largely  the  result  of 
erosion,  and  the  remainder  of  the  county,  which  has  been  greatly 
influenced  by  glacial  action  and  has  a more  even  topography. 

The  drainage  of  the  northwestern  part  of  Dane  County  is  di- 
rectly into  the  Wisconsin  River.  The  remainder  is  drained 
through  the  Yahara  and  Sugar  Rivers  and  their  tributaries  into 
the  Rock  River  and  thence  into  the  Mississippi. 

The  first  permanent  settlements  in  Dane  County  were  made 
about  1830.  The  first  settlers  were  interested  in  mining,  but 
agriculture  soon  developed,  and  the  county  is  now  one  of  the 
most  highly  improved  in  the  State.  Madison,  the  county  seat 
and  the  capital  of  the  State,  is  an  important  railroad  center  and 
has  a population  of  25,531,  according  to  the  1910  census.  The 
population  of  the  county  is  reported  as  77,435.  The  entire 
county  is  well  supplied  with  transportation  facilities,  and  all 
sections  are  well  settled. 

The  climatic  conditions  in  this  part  of  Wisconsin  are  favor- 
able for  the  development  of  general  farming  and  dairying.  The 
mean  annual  temperature  at  Madison  is  45.7°,  and  the  mean 
annual  precipitation  is  31.25  inches.  On  the  average,  during 
each  of  the  months  of  May,  June,  July,  August,  and  September, 
there  is  more  than  three  inches  of  rainfall.  The  rainfall  is  usu- 
ally fairly  well  distributed,  but  there  are  occasionally  short 
periods  of  drought  or  of  excessive  rainfall. 

The  general  type  of  agriculture  in  Dane  County  consists  of 
general  farming  in  conjunction  with  dairying.  In  1913  there 
were  90  cheese  factories  and  50  creameries  in  the  county.  The 
common  farm  crops  are  corn,  oats,  barley,  clover,  timothy, 
alfalfa,  wheat,  and  rye.  In  addition  a number  of  special  crops 
are  grown,  including  tobacco,  potatoes,  peas,  and  sugar  beets. 

Some  beef  cattle  are  fed,  chiefly  in  the  tobacco-growing  dis- 
tricts, but  the  raising  of  beef  cattle  is  unimportant  as  compared 


84 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


with  the  dairy  industry.  Hog  raising  is  carried  on  quite  ex- 
tensively, and  a few  sheep  and  horses  are  raised  in  the  county. 

Agriculture  is  highly  developed  in  nearly  all  sections.  Land 
values  range  from  about  $25  an  acre  in  the  sandy  and  rough 
areas,  to  $250  or  even  more  an  acre  in  the  sections  containing 
the  most  highly  improved  farms.  In  1910  the  average  value  was 
$72.73  an  acre. 

The  geologic  formations  which  form  the  surface  rock  in  Dane 
County  and  have  largely  given  rise  to  the  soils  are,  in  order  of 
their  occurrence,  the  Potsdam  sandstone,  Lower  Magnesian 
limestone,  St.  Peters  sandstone,  and  the  Trenton  and  Galena 
Lmestone.  The  greater  part  of  the  county  was  traversed  by  two 
glacial  ice  sheets  of  different  age.  The  older  is  known  as  the 
p re- Wisconsin  glaciation,  and  its  debris  covers  only  a very  small 
part  of  the  county.  The  younger  is  known  as  the  last  Wisconsin 
glaciation,  and  material  from  this  source  covers  over  half  of  the 
county.  In  addition  to  these  sources  of  material  a mantle  of 
loess  has  been  deposited  over  most  of  the  unglaciated  section  and 
over  a part  of  the  glaciated  section. 

In  Dane  County  13  soil  series  and  31  soil  types,  including 
Rough  stony  land,  Madeland,  Peat,  Muck,  and  Meadow,  are  rec- 
ognized. 

The  Carrington  series  consists  of  dark-colored,  upland  prairie, 
glaciated  limestone  material.  Some  of  the  highest  priced  farm- 
ing land  in  the  region  is  included  in  the  silt  loam  and  its 
shallow  phase.  The  fine  sandy  loam  is  not  important.  Most  of 
this  land  is  cultivated.  General  farming  is  the  chief  activity, 
with  tobacco  growing  an  important  special  industry. 

The  Miami  series  consists  of  light-colored,  upland,  forested, 
glaciated  limestone  material.  The  fine  sandy  loam  and  silt  loam 
are  extensive  and  valuable  agricultural  types,  the  former  well 
suited  to  truck  crops.  The  silt  loam  and  its  deep  phase  support 
chiefly  general  farming.  The  gravelly  sandy  loam  is  of  small 
extent  and  mostly  in  pasture.  The  loam  is  also  inextensive,  but 
largely  in  cultivation. 

The  Rodman  gravelly  fine  sandy  loam  includes  light-colored 
assorted  glacial  material  which  occurs  chiefly  as  kames  and 
eskers.  It  has  a low  agricultural  value,  and  is  of  small  extent. 

The  Fox  series  includes  light-colored,  forested  soils  mainly  in 
glaciated  limestone  regions  where  the  material  occupies  outwash 
plains  or  stream  terraces.  The  series  in  this  county  is  not  ex- 
tensive, but  the  three  types  encountered  are  well  improved. 


SUMMARY 


85 


The  Plainfield  series  is  represented  by  one  type,  the  fine  sand. 
It  is  an  alluvial  terrace  soil  derived  from  glacial  debris.  About 
half  the  type  is  cultivated  and  used  for  general  farming.  It 
has  a rather  low  value. 

The  Waukesha  series  comprises  dark-colored,  prairie  or  semi- 
prairie soils  derived  from  reworked  glacial  material,  deposited 
as  outwash  plains  or  terraces.  It  includes  good  agricultural 
land.  The  types  mapped  are  Waukesha  fine  sandy  loam  and 
silt  loam. 

The  Clyde  series  is  represented  by  three  types,  the  fine  sandy 
loam,  loam,  and  silt  loam.  These  are  dark-colored  soils  within 
the  glaciated  limestone  region,  where  the  material  is  of  alluvial 
or  lacustrine  origin  and  occurs  as  old  lake  beds,  ponded  valleys, 
or  as  first-bottom  land  along  the  streams.  They  are  low  and 
poorly  drained,  but  well  suited  to  crop  production  when  drained, 
especially  the  silt  loam,  which  can  be  made  very  productive. 

The  Dunning  series  includes  dark-colored  soils  of  alluvial 
origin  from  which  the  lime  has  been  very  largely  removed.  The 
natural  drainage  is  very  poor.  Dunning  silt  loam  and  fine  sandy 
loam  are  recognized. 

The  light-colored,  forested  upland  soils  of  the  unglaciated 
region,  where  the  material  is  largely  of  loessial  origin,  are 
■classed  with  the  Knox  series.  Knox  silt  loam  is  extensively  de- 
veloped and  includes  a large  area  of  good  farm  land.  It  is 
mostly  in  cultivation  to  general  farm  crops.  The  steep  phase  is 
less  valuable. 

The  Dodgeville  series  includes  dark-colored,  upland  prairie 
soils  of  the  unglaciated  region  where  the  material  has  been 
derived  in  part  from  the  loesslike  mantle  covering  a part  of  the 
county,  and  in  part  from  the  weathering  of  limestone.  Dodge- 
ville silt  loam  makes  very  good  general  farming  land  except 
where  shallow.  The  fine  sandy  loam  is  of  low  agricultural  value. 

The  Boone  series  includes  light-colored  forested  soils  where 
the  material  has  been  derived  from  the  weathering  of  sandstone, 
in  this  county,  chiefly  the  St.  Peters  sandstone.  The  series  is  of 
rather  low  agricultural  value.  The  types  mapped  are  the  Boone 
fine  sandy  loam  and  loam. 

The  Wabash  series  comprises  dark-colored  soils  of  the  un- 
glaciated region  of  alluvial  origin  which  occur  as  first-bottom 
land.  Wabash  loam  and  silt  loam  are  recognized.  For  the  most 
part  the  soils  are  poorly  drained  and  subject  to  overflow.  Only 
a small  portion  of  the  land  is  under  cultivation. 


86 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  DANE  COUNTY. 


The  Genesee  fine  sand  is  a very  inextensive  light-colored  soil 
which  occurs  as  first-bottom  land.  The  material  is  alluvial  in 
origin  and  consists  of  reworked  glacial  debris.  The  land  is  sub- 
ject to  inundation. 

Rough  stony  land  comprises  steep,  rocky  slopes  where  the 
slope  is  too  steep  or  the  land  too  rocky  to  be  of  value  for  culti- 
vated crops  and  is  of  use  only  for  pasturage  and  forestry. 

Madeland  consists  of  small,  poorly  drained  areas  of  filled-in 
material. 

Peat  consists  of  vegetable  matter  in  various  stages  of  decom- 
position, with  which  there  are  usually  incorporated  small  quan- 
tities of  mineral  matter.  In  its  present  condition  it  is  poorly 
drained  and  of  little  value.  When  drained  and  reclaimed  it 
makes  very  valuable  land.  Peat  is  an  extensive  type  in  Dane 
County. 

Muck  includes  highly  organic  soils  intermediate  between  Peat 
and  soils  of  the  Clyde  series.  It  is  not  extensive  in  Dane  County. 

Meadow  includes  first-bottom  land  subject  to  overflow,  where 
the  material  is  so  variable  that  it  cannot  be  separated  into  recog- 
nized soil  types.  It  is  of  very  limited  extent. 

KEEP  THE  MAP 

The  Experiment  Station  will  publish  bulletins  from  time  to 
time  dealing  with  the  management  of  the  different  types  map- 
ped, so  that  some  way  should  be  found  by  each  person  receiving 
a copy  of  this  report  to  keep  the  map  permanently.  If  the  map 
is  folded  in  such -a  way  as  to  have  the  part  you  are  interested 
in  of  a convenient  size,  and  then  have  a simple  frame  with  glass 
to  hold  it,  it  can  be  kept  indefinitely.  Since  some  of  the  colors 
fade  after  being  exposed  to  strong  light  for  a long  time,  it  would 
be  a good  plan  to  have  a protecting  flap  of  dark  cloth  over  the 
map  when  not  in  use. 


I 


WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY 


W.  O.  HOTCHKISS,  Director  ami  State  Geologist, 
A.  R.  WHITSON,  In  Charge,  Division  of  Soils. 


SOIL  SURVEY  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

H.  L.  RUSSELL,  Dean. 


BULLETIN  NO.  53B 


SOIL  SERIES  NO.  21 


SOIL  SURVEY 


OF 


ROCK  COUNT 


WISCONSIN 


% 


Ml WMM 

mSm 


BY 


Hit! 

mtm 


wmm 


A.  R.  WHITSON,  W.  J.  GEIB,  GUY  CONREY  AND  W.  M.  GIBBS,  OP 
THE  WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY 
SURVEY,  AND  A.  E.  TAYLOR  OP  THE  U.  S.  DEPART- 
MENT OF  AGRICULTURE,  BUREAU  OP  SOILS. 


SURVEY  CONDUCTED  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNITED 
STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU  OF  SOILS, 

MILTON  WHITNEY,  CHIEF. 

CURTIS  F.  MARBUT,  IN  CHARGE  SOIL  SURVEY. 


KgllSK! 


§ m :■  m 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  STATE 
MADISON,  WISCONSIN 
1922 


um  I 
■I,,.'1' 

H 

■H  * | 


ISBKARV:-..- 

UNiVERSnY  OF  IIUIW* 


• V l 


. 


WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY 

W.  O.  HOTCHKISS,  Director  and  State  Geologist. 

A.  R.  WHITSON,  In  Charge,  Division  of  Soils. 

SOIL  SURVEY  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

H.  L.  RUSSELL,  Dean. 


BULLETIN  NO.  53B 


SOIL  SERIES  NO.  21 


SOIL  SURVEY 

OF 

ROCK  COUNTY 

WISCONSIN 


BY 


A.  R.  WHITSON,  W.  J.  GEIB,  GUY  CONREY  AND  W.  M.  GIBBS  OF 
THE  WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY 
SURVEY,  AND  A.  E.  TAYLOR  OF  THE  U.  S DEPART- 
MENT OF  AGRICULTURE,  BUREAU  OF  SOILS 


SURVEY  CONDUCTED  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  IJNTTFD 
STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU  OF  SOILS, 

MILTON  WHITNEY  CHIEF 
CURTIS  F.  MARBUT,  IN  CHARGE  SOIL  SURVEY. 


iflt  CiOtiH ft  • 


DEGi  1251 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  STATE — 

MADISON,  WISCONSIN  ““MEWSrrv  W ' UN  IS 

1922 


GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY 
SURVEY 


BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS. 

John  J.  Blaine, 

Governor  of  the  State. 

Edward  A.  Birge,  President. 

President  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin. 

President  of  the  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences,  Arts  and 
Letters. 

John  Callahan,  Vice-President. 

State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 


STAFF  OF  THE  SURVEY,  1920. 
ADMINISTRATION: 

William  O.  Hotchkiss,  State  Geologist,  Director  and  Superintendent. 

In  immediate  charge  of  Geology  Division. 

Ernest  F.  Bean,  Assistant  State  Geologist. 

Lillian  M.  Veerhusen,  Chief  Clerk. 

Frances  Walker,  Clerk  and  Stenographer. 

Angeline  Doll,  Clerk. 

GEOLOGY  DIVISION: 

William  0.  Hotchkiss,  In  charge. 

Ernest  F.  Bean,  Geologist,  Mineral  Land  Classification. 

Thomas  C.  Chamberlin,  Consulting  Geologist,  Pleistocene  Geology. 
Edward  O.  Ulrich,  Consulting  Geologist,  Stratigraphy,  by  cooperation 
of  the  U.  S.  G.  S. 

Henry  R.  Aldrich,  Geologist. 

Ray  Hughes  Whitbeck,  Geographer. 

Edward  Steidtmann,  Geologist,  Limestones. 

Fredrick  T.  Thwaites,  Well  Records,  Educational  Rock  Collection. 

NATURAL  HISTORY  DIVISION: 

Edward  A.  Birge,  In  charge. 

Chancey  Juday,  Lake  Survey. 

DIVISION  OF  SOILS: 

Andrew  R.  Whitson,  In  charge. 

Warren  J.  Geib,*  Inspector  and  Editor. 

Theodore  J.  Dunnewald,  Field  Assistant  and  Analyist. 

William  H.  Pierre,  Field  Assistant. 

Julius  E.  Kubier,  Field  Assistant. 

Francis  J.  O’Connell,  Field  Assistant. 

♦Scientist  in  Soil  Survey,  in  charge  of  fiield  operations  in  Wisconsin 
for  the  Bureau  of  Soils,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


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Table  of  Contents  

Illustrations  

Introduction  

Soil  Classification  

CHAPTER  I. 

Description  of  the  Area 

Soils 

CHAPTER  II. 

Group  of  Silt  Loam  and  Clay  Loam  Soil^ 

Carrington  silt  loam  

Waukesha  silt  loam 

Miami  silt  loam  

Fox  silt  loam  

Chemical  composition  and  improvement  of  silt  loam 

soils  

Crawford  clay  loam 

Baxter  clay  loam 


CHAPTER  III. 

Group  of  Loams  and  Fine  Sandy  Loams 

Knox  loam  

Miami  loam  

Fox  loam 

Fox  fine  sandy  loam  

Knox  fine  sandy  loam 

Miami  fine  sandy  loam  

Boone  fine  sandy  loam  

Waukesha  loam  

Carrington  loam  

Carrington  fine  sandy  loam 

Chemical  composition  and  improvement  of  loams  and 
fine  sandy  loams 


Page 

3 

5 

7 

9 


11 

15 


19 

19 

22 

23 

26 

26 

31 

31 


33 

33 

34 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

41 

42 

44 


4 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Group  of  Sandy  and  Gravelly  Soils 46 

Miami  gravelly  loam 46 

Rodman  gravelly  loam 48 

Carrington  gravelly  loam 48 

Waukesha  gravelly  loam  49 

Composition  and  improvement  of  Carrington  and 

Waukesha  gravelly  loams  49 

Plainfield  fine  sand 50 

Waukesha  sandy  loam  51 

Waukesha  sand  52 

Composition  and  improvement  of  Waukesha  sand  and 
sandy  loam  52 

CHAPTER  Y. 

Group  of  Poorly  Drained  Soils 55 

Clyde  silt  loam 55 

Clyde  fine  sandy  loam  57 

Peat  58 

Agricultural  value  and  development  of  peat 60 

Drainage  62 

CHAPTER  VI. 

General  Agriculture  of  Rock  County 64 

Adaption  of  crops  to  soils  65 

Methods  66 

Farm  equipment  66 

Farm  tenure  67 

Farm  values  67 

Improvements  in  methods  of  farming 67 

Crop  rotation  68 

Liming  72 

Distribution  of  lime,  commercial  fertilizers  and  ma- 
nures   74 

Climate  ' 75 

Summary  78 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATES  AND  FIGURES. 

Plate  I.  View  showing  surface  features  of  Miami  silt  loam  24 
View  showing  soil  section  of  Miami  silt  loam 24 

Plate  II.  View  showing  surface  features  of  the  deep  phase 

of  Miami  silt  loam 25 

Soil  section  showing  surface  and  subsoil  material  form- 
ing the  deep  phase  of  Miami  silt  loam 25 

Plate  III.  View  showing  surface  and  subsoil  material 

forming  the  Waukesha  silt  loam 48 

Surface  features  typical  of  the  level  black  prairie 
lands  of  Rock  County 48 

Plate  IV.  View  of  Rodman  gravelly  loam 49 

Results  of  fertilizing  oats  with  acid  phosphates 49 

Plate  V.  View  of  combination  dairy  and  tobacco  farm.  . 70 

Figure  1.  Sketch  map  of  Wisconsin  11 

Figure  2.  Sketch  may  of  Rock  County  showing  glacial 

deposits  12 

Figure  3.  Sketch  map  showing  surface  rock  forma-  12 
tions  13 

MAP. 


Soil  map  of  Rock  County,  Wisconsin  . . . .Attached  to  back  cover 


INTRODUCTION 


Before  the  greatest  success  in  agriculture  can  be  reached,  it 
is  necessary  that  the  farmer  shou  i have  a thorough  knowledge 
of  the  soil  upon  his  own  farm.  A soil  may  be  well  adapted  to 
one  crop,  and  poorly  adapted  to  another  crop.  Clover  will  pro- 
duce a vigorous  growth  and  profitable  yields  on  the  average 
loam  soil  which  contains  lime  and  is  in  a sweet  condition ; but 
on  a sandy  soil  which  is  sour,  or  in  an  acid  condition,  clover  will 
not  make  a satisfactory  growth.  We  may  say,  therefore,  that 
failure  is  certain  to  be  invited  when  such  important  facts  are 
disregarded,  or  overlooked.  The  degree  of  success  which  it  is 
possible  to  win  on  any  farm  is  in  direct  proportion  to  the  prac- 
tical knowledge  possessed  by  the  farmer  concerning  the  soil 
and  its  adaptation  to  crops.  A thorough  knowledge  of  the  soil 
is  as  essential  to  the  farmer  as  a knowledge  of  merchandise 
and  business  methods  is  to  the  merchant. 

The  "State  of  Wisconsin,  working  in  cooperation  with  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  is  making  a careful 
study  of  soils  and  agricultural  conditions  throughout  Wiscon- 
sin, and  is  preparing  soil  maps  and  soil  reports  of  all  counties 
in  the  State.  A soil  map  shows  the  location  and  extent  of  the 
different  kinds  of  soil.  Tracts  of  10  acres  and  over  are  mapped, 
but  often  areas  of  even  smaller  extent  are  shown.  The  soil 
map  is  prepared  by  trained  men,  who  go  over  a county  thor- 
oughly, and  examine  the  soil  by  making  a sufficient  number 
of  borings  to  a depth  of  36  inches  to  keep  account  of  all  varia- 
tions. A report  is  also  made,  to  accompany  and  explain  the 
map,  and  this  is  based  upon  a careful  study  of  the  soils  within 
the  region  surveyed,  and  upon  such  other  features  as  have  a 
direct  bearing  upon  the  agriculture  of  the  area. 

It  is  the  object  of  this  survey  to  make  an  inventory  of  the 
soils  of  the  State,  and  to  be  of  practical  help  to  farmers  by  lo- 
cating and  describing  the  different  soils,  by  determining  their 
physical  character  and  chemical  composition,  and  by  offering 


8 


INTRODUCTION 


suggestions  for  their  management,  based  upon  the  work  of  the 
Soil  Survey  within  the  area,  covered  in  the  report,  and  upon 
the  results  of  field  tests  made  by  the  Experiment  Station. 

Soil  fertility  depends  upon  two  factors:  first,  upon  the 

physical  characteristics  of  the  soil,  such  as  water  holding  ca- 
pacity, workability,  etc.,  and  second,  upon  the  chemical  compo- 
sition of  the  material  composing  the  soil.  The  chemical  compo- 
sition depends  upon  the  mode  of  origin  of  the  soil,  and  the 
source  of  material  from  which  the  soil  is  derived. 

Water  holding  capacity  and  other  physical  properties  of  soil 
all  depend  chiefly  upon  texture , which  refers  to  the  size  of  the 
individual  soil  grains,  or  particles.  A coarse  sandy  soil,  for  ex- 
ample, will  not  retain  moisture  so  long  as  a loam  soil,  or  clay 
loam,  because  the  finer  the  soil  grains,  the  greater  will  be  the 
total  soil-grain  surface  area  to  which  moisture  may  adhere. 
Texture  is  determined  in  the  field  by  rubbing  the  soil  between 
the  thumb  and  fingers,  and  with  experience  one  soon  becomes 
expert  at  judging  the  size  of  soil  grains.  This  field  judgment 
is  verified  in  the  laboratory  by  a mechanical  analysis,  which 
is  made  by  a simple  method  of  separating  soil  grains  into  dif- 
ferent groups,  of  which  there  are  seven.  These  are  known  as 
clay,  silt,  very  fine  sand,  fine  sand,  medium  sand,  coarse  sand, 
and  fine  gravel. 

A chemical  analysis  is  also  made  of  the  soil  to  determine  the 
amounts  of  various  essential  plant-food  elements  which  are 
present.  A chemical  analysis  shows  whether  the  soil  contains 
a large  store  of  plant  food,  or  only  a small  quantity,  and  it  in- 
dicates which  kinds  of  plant  food  will  probably  be  needed  first. 
The  amount  of  organic  matter  in  the  soil  is  also  determined,  and 
tests  are  made  to  show  conditions  relative  to  soil  acidity. 


INTRODUCTION 


9 


SOIL  CLASSIFICATION. 


Soils  are  grouped  according  to  texture  into  soil  classes,  a soil 
class  being  made  up  of  soils  having  the  same  texture,  though 
differing  in  other  respects.  A fine  sand,  for  example,  may  be 
light  colored  and  of  alluvial  origin,  while  another  fine  sand 
may  be  dark  in  color  and  of  residual  origin,  while  a third  fine 
sand  may  have  been  blown  into  sand  dunes  by  the  wind,  yet  all 
of  these  soils  would  belong  to  the  same  class,  because  the  greater 
proportion  of  the  soil  grains  have  the  same  size  or  texture. 
Thus  we  may  have  different  kinds  of  clays,  loams,  sands,  etc., 
and  the  class  to  which  any  soil  will  belong  depends  upon  the 
size  of  the  individual  soil  grains  of  which  it  is  composed,  and 
not  upon  its  color,  origin,  topographic  position,  or  agricultural 
value. 

The  textural  classification  is  the  most  important  since  it  has 
to  do  with  the  water  holding  capacity  of  the  soil.  It  also  de- 
termines the  ease  with  which  a soil  can  be  worked,  and  has 
much  to  do  with  the  crops  to  which  the  soil  is  best  adapted. 


SOIL  CLASSES. 

Soils  Containing  Less  Than  20%  Silt  and  Clay 

Coarse  sand. — Over  25%  fine  gravel  and  coarse  sand,  and  less  than 
50%  of  any  other  grade  of  sand. 

Sand. — Over  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse  and  medium  sand,  and  less  than 
50%  fine  sand. 

Fine  sand. — Over  50%  fine  sand,  or  less  than  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse 
and  medium  sand. 

Very  fine  sand. — Over  50%  very  fine  sand. 

Soils  Containing  Between  20-50%  of  Silt  and  Clay 

Sandy  loam. — Over  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse  and  medium  sand. 

Fine  sandy  loam. — Over  50%  fine  sand,  or  less  than  25%  fine  gravel, 
coarse  and  medium  sand. 

Sandy  clay. — Less  than  20%  silt. 

Soils  Containing  ovfr  50%  of  Silt  and  Clay 

Loam. — Less  than  20%  day,  and  less  than  50%  silt. 

Silt  loam. — Less  than  20%  clay,  and  over  50%  silt. 

Clay  loam. — Between  20  and  30%  clay,  and  less  than  50%  silt. 

Silty  clay  loam. — Between  20  and  30%  clay,  and  over  50%  silt. 

Clay. — Over  30%  clay. 


10 


INTRODUCTION 


Soils  may  be  grouped  in  another  way.  Where  soils  are  closely 
related  through  similar  sources  of  the  material  from  which 
derived,  mode  of  origin,  topographic  position,  etc.,,  so  that  the 
different  soils  constitute  merely  a gradation  in  texture  of  other- 
wise uniform  material,  such  a group  is  called  a soil  series.  It 
corresponds  to  the  family  which  is  made  up  of  different  in- 
dividuals having  the  same  parentage.  The  Miami  series,  for 
example,  includes  light  colored,  glacial  material  where  the 
soils  have  been  derived  largely  from  the  underlying  limestone, 
and  the  soils  in  the  series  range  in  texture  from  a clay  loam 
to  sand  and  gravel.  The  Plainfield  series  includes  light  col- 
ored soils  in  regions  where  no  limestone  is  present,  where  the 
parent  rock  was  largely  sandstone,  and  where  the  material 
occurs  as  outwash  plains  or  stream  terraces.  The  soils  in  this 
series  also  have  a wide  range  in  texture.  The  name  used  for 
a soil  series  usually  indicates  the  locality  where  that  particular 
series  was  first  recognized  and  mapped  by  the  Soil  Survey.  By 
uniting  the  soil  class  and  the  soil  series  we  get  the  soil  type 
which  is  the  basis  or  unit  of  classifying  and  mapping  soils.  A 
soil  type  thus,  is  a soil  which  is  uniform  throughout  its  entire 
extent  in  texture,  color,  topographic  position,  and  other  physi- 
cal properties,  and  having  a distinct  agricultural  unity,  that  is, 
being  adapted  to  the  same  crops,  and  requiring  the  same  treat- 
ment. It  is  also  uniform  in  the  source  of  material  from  which 
it  is  derived,  and  the  mode  of  origin  which,  taken  together, 
determine  the  chemical  composition.  Since  the  soil  type  is  the 
unit  in  classifying  and  mapping  soils,  and  the  basis  upon  which 
experimental  work  should  be  conducted,  every  farmer  should 
be  familiar  with  the  soil  types  on  his  farm,  and  their  leading 
characteristics. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY,  WISCONSIN 


CHAPTER  I. 

GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  AND  HISTORY  OF 
THE  AREA. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA. 

Rock  County  lies  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of  Wisconsin 
about  midway  on  the  Wisconsin-Illinois  boundary  line.  Janes- 
ville, the  county  seat,  is  about  32  miles  from  Madison.  The 
county  has  an  area  of  approximately  706  square  miles  or 
451,840  acres. 


Fig-,  i. — Sketch  map  of  Wisconain  showing  areas  which  have  been  covered 

by  a soil  survey. 

The  surface  features  of  Rock  County  may  be  classed  in  four 
rather  distinct  divisions.  The  extent  of  each  is  shown  in  Fig- 
ure No.  2.  The  first  of  these  divisions  is  confined  to  the  north- 


12 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


ern  part  of  the  county  and  consists  of  the  material  which  was 
most  recently  deposited  by  the  glacial  ice.  It  is  known  as  the 
late  Wisconsin  drift.  The  southern  limit  of  this  region  is 
marked  by  a low  range  of  hills  bordering  an  extensive  level 
country.  This  range  of  hills  is  known  as  the  ‘ ‘ terminal  moraine  ’ ’ 
and  it  enters  the  county  at  the  northwestern  corner  of  Union 
Township,  extends  in  a southeasterly  direction  and  passes  into 


RIOE  FU1E  FL12E  FC13E  Rl+E 


Fig-.  2. — Sketch  map  of  Rock  County  showing — 

1.  Region  covered  by  late  Wisconsin  drift. 

2.  Level  valley  fill  and  outwash  plains. 

3.  Region  of  deep  pre-Wisconsin  drift. 

4.  Region  of  shallow  pre-Wisconsin  drift. 

Walworth  County  about  one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Johns- 
ton. The  surface  of  this  region  to  the  north  is  for  the  most 
part  gently  rolling,  although  near  the  moraine  it  is  somewhat 
broken  by  pot  holes,  gravel  knolls,  and  winding  ridges.  In 
fact  this  whole  region  is  now  very  much  as  it  was  shaped  by 
the  glacial  ice,  there  being  many  kettle  basins  and  undrained 
marshes.  It  is  very  interesting  to  note  that  this  is  the  only 
portion  of  the  county  in  which  marshes  occur  away  from 
streams,  and  stones  and  bowlders  are  also  more  plentiful  than 
elsewhere. 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  AND  HISTORY  OF  AREA  13 

The  second  division,  known  as  the  “ Valley  fill”  or  “out- 
wash  plain”  is  found  immediately  south  of  the  late  Wisconsin 
drift  region.  It  is  level,  stone  free,  and  is  underlain  by  beds 
of  sand  and  gravel.  It  extends  entirely  across  the  county 
from  east  to  west,  but  its  most  extensive  development  is  found 
in  the  towns  of  Johnstown,  Harmony,  Janesville,  Rock,  La 
Prairie,  Beloit,  and  Turtle. 


FllOE  FlllE  FU2E  R13E  JFL1EE 


Fig-.  3. — Sketch  showing  surface  rock  formations  in  Rock  County. 


The  third  region  has  a surface  which  is  characterized  by 
long,  smooth,  gentle  slopes,  and  a soil  section  which  is  deep, 
in  most  places  being  over  100  feet  to  the  bed  rock.  The  sur- 
face is  covered  by  a mantle  of  uniform  silty  loess-like  material 
which  is  practically  stone  free.  The  region  is  much  more  thor- 
oughly drained  than  the  northern  part  of  the  county.  This 
third  division  may  be  briefly  described  as  being  made  up  of 
deep,  pre-Wisconsin  drift  material,  which  means  that  it  is 
glacial  material  of  much  greater  age  than  that  of  the  late  Wis- 


14 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


consin  drift.  It  is  confined  to  the  southeastern  portion  of  the 
county,  largely  in  the  towns  of  Bradford,  Clinton,  and  Turtle. 

The  fourth  division  occurs  west  of  Rock  River  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  county.  This  region  was  also  gone  over 
by  the  pre-Wisconsin  ice  sheet,  but  the  glacial  material  left 
now  forms  only  a very  thin  blanket,  usually  having  a maximum 
thickness  of  5 or  6 feet,  and  in  numerous  places  being  entirely 
lacking.  The  thin  drift  occurs  in  Magnolia,  Spring  Valley,  and 
Avon  Townships.  Northwest  of  Janesville  and  east  of  Footville 
there  is  a small  area  over  which  the  drift  reaches  a depth  of  from 
40  to  over  100  feet.  The  blanket  of  silty  material  common  to 
the  late  Wisconsin  drift,  and  to  the  older  drift  west  of  the  Rock 
River,  is  seldom  three  feet  thick  and  in  many  places  entirely 
lacking  in  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  county.  Rock  out- 
crops are  also  common  throughout  this  region.  As  a rule  the 
farming  is  not  as  highly  developed  in  this  part  of  the  county 
as  elsewhere,  and  land  values  average  somewhat  lower. 

In  regard  to  the  topography  of  the  county  as  a whole  it  may 
be  said  that  the  total  area  which  is  too  steep  for  the  growing 
of  cultivated  crops  is  very  limited.  Some  of  the  land  could  be 
classed  as  rolling  and  hilly,  but  the  major  portion  is  gently 
rolling,  with  the  equivalent  of  several  townships  in  which  the 
surface  is  level.  The  major  portion  of  the  county  has  an  ele- 
vation of  between  800  and  900  feet  above  sea  level. 

Rock  County  lies  within  the  drainage  basin  of  Rock  River, 
which  passes  through  the  center  of  the  county  from  north  to 
south. 

With  the  exception  of  Rock  River,  the  streams  are  sluggish 
and  meandering,  flowing  through  considerable  areas  of  poorly 
drained  flood  plains.  The  Rock  River  has  cut  into  the  old  valley 
fill  to  a depth  ranging  from  30  to  120  feet.  Outside  of  the 
valley-fill  region  its  valley  is  50  to  150  feet  deep. 

The  first  settlement  in  Rock  County  was  made  in  1835,  on 
the  present  site  of  Janesville.  The  county  was  formed  by  an 
act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature  of  Wisconsin,  on  Dec.  7,  1836. 
The  population  as  given  in  the  1920  census  was  66,150,  aver- 
aging 92.4  persons  to  the  square  mile. 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  AND  HISTORY  OF  AREA 


15 


SOILS. 

The  soils  of  Rock  County  have  been  derived  largely  from 
glacial  material  of  various  ages,  from  decaying  vegetable  mat- 
ter and  from  the  weathering  of  the  under-lying  rock  forma- 
tions. In  the  work  of  the  soil  survey  in  Rock  County  these 
various  soil  forming  materials  have  been  classified  into  soil 
series  and  soil  types  and  the  location,  extent  and  distribution 
has  been  shown  on  the  accompanying  map.  In  all  11  soil  series 
and  25  soil  types*  have  been  recognized. 

The  Carrington  series  includes  the  dark  colored  upland 
prairie  soils  which  have  been  derived  largely  from  glaciated 
limestone  material.  Part  of  this  series  lies  within  the  region 
of  recent  glacial  drift  while  part  of  it  is  included  in  the  pre- 
Wisconsin  drift  region.  This  series  is  quite  extensive  and  the 
soils  have  a high  agricultural  value.  The  types  mapped  are 
Carrington  silt  loam  with  a shallow  phase,  Carrington  loam, 
fine  sandy  loam  and  gravelly  loam. 

The  Miami  series  includes  the  light  colored  upland  timbered 
soils  where  the  material  has  been  derived  largely  from  gla- 
ciated limestone.  This  series  also  includes  excellent  agricul- 
tural land  and  with  the  Carrington  series  occupies  by  far  the 
The  types  mapped  are  the  Clyde  silt  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam. 


*In  comparing  this  issue  of  the  soil  survey  report  of  Rock  County 
with  the  edition  published  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Soils  it 
will  be  noted  there  is  some  difference  in  the  naming  of  some  of  the 
soil  types.  In  the  State  report  the  types  have  been  correlated  with 
the  soils  as  previously  mapped  within  the  State  while  in  the  report 
issued  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Soils  the  types  have  been  cor- 
related with  the  soils  as  they  occur  in  adjoining  States.  The  follow- 
ing table  gives  the  various  soils  to  which  different  names  have  been 
applied  in  the  two  reports. 


Type  name  in  report  of  U.  S. 
Bureau  of  Soils 

Bellefontaine  gravelly  loam 

Bellefontaine  fine  sandy  loam 

Bellefontaine  loam 

Bellefontaine  silt  loam. 

Miami  fine  sandy  loam 

Miami  loam 

Miami  silt  loam..... 

Union  silty  clay  loam 

Rodman  gravelly  sandy  loam 

Waukesha  gravelly  sandy  loam 

Fox  loam,  light  textured  phase 


Type  name  as  published  in 
the  report  issued  by  the 
State  of  Wisconsin 
Miami  gravelly  loam 
Miami  fine  sandy  loam 
Miami  loam 
Miami  silt  loam 
Knox  fine  sandy  loam 
Knox  loam 

Miami  silt  loam,  deep  phase 
Baxter  clay  loam 
Rodman  gravelly  loam 
Waukesha  gravelly  loam 
Fox  fine  sandy  loam 


16 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


greater  portion  of  Rock  County.  The  types  mapped  in  the 
Miami  series  include  the  silt  loam,  with  a deep  phase,  Miami 
loam,  fine  sandy  loam  and  gravelly  loam. 

The  Clyde  series  includes  dark  brown  to  black  soils  with 
gray,  drab  or  mottled  subsoils  and  the  material  occupies  low 
depressed  areas  in  the  upland  or  old  lake  basins  and  ponded 
valleys  in  the  region  of  alluvial  soils.  These  soils  are  all  rela- 
tively low  lying,  natural  drainage  is  poor  and  there  has  been 
a considerable  accumulation  of  organic  matter  in  the  surface 
soil.  When  drained  this  series  makes  good  agricultural  land. 

The  soils  of  the  Knox  series  include  the  light  colored  upland 
timbered  soils  in  the  unglaciated  region  or  where  the  influence  of 
the  glacial  ice  was  very  limited  as  in  the  southwestern  part  of 
Rock  County.  The  surface  of  this  region  is  mostly  rolling  and 
the  natural  drainage  is  good.  This  material  frequently  rests 
on  weathered  limestone  and  the  underlying  rock  sometimes 
comes  within  three  feet  of  the  surface.  The  lower  portion  of 
the  subsoil  may  in  some  cases  have  been  derived  from  the  rock 
itself.  The  types  mapped  as  belonging  to  this  series  are  the 
Knox  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Crawford  series  includes  dark  to 
nearly  black  surface  soils  with  heavy  brown  or  reddish  brown 
subsoils  which  have  been  derived  from  the  underlying  lime- 
stone. The  rock  usually  comes  to  within  from  one  to  two  feet 
of  the  surface.  The  surface  is  rolling  and  the  drainage  is  good. 
The  clay  loam  is  the  only  type  mapped  and  its  extent  is  very 
limited. 

The  Boone  series  consists  of  light  colored  upland  timbered 
soils  where  the  parent  material  has  been  derived  from  sand- 
stone. These  soils  occupy  gently  to  steeply  rolling  uplands 
and  the  drainage  is  good  to  excessive.  The  only  type  mapped 
in  this  county  belonging  to  this  series  is  the  Boone  fine  sandy 
loam. 

The  Pox  series  includes  light  brown  upland  timbered  soils 
in  the  glaciated  limestone  region  where  the  material  has  been 
derived  from  glaciated  limestone  and  re-worked  and  re-deposited 
by  the  action  of  water  in  the  form  of  outwashed  plains,  stream 
terraces  or  filled  in  valleys.  The  subsoils  are  usually  heavy  but 
in  the  lower  depth  grade  into  sand  or  gravel.  The  surface  is 
level  or  nearly  so  and  the  natural  drainage  is  for  the  most  part 


GENERAL  DESCBIPTION  AND  HISTORY  OF  AREA 


17 


good.  The  types  in  this  county  belonging  to  the  Fox  series  are 
the  silt  loam,  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam. 

The  soils  of  the  Rodman  series  are  light  brown  or  reddish 
brown  in  color.  The  subsoils  are  of  similar  color  but  consist 
of  beds  of  loose  gravel  and  sand.  The  soils  consist  of  material 
which  was  laid  down  under  the  ice  sheets  by  running  streams 
and  occur  chiefly  as  sharp  hills  and  ridges  known  as  Karnes  and 
Eskers.  The  surface  is  very  irregular;  pot-holes  are  quite  nu- 
merous and  the  natural  drainage  is  excessive.  This  class  of  land 
is  of  low  agricultural  value.  The  only  type  mapped  is  the 
Rodman  gravelly  loam. 

The  Plainfield  series  consists  of  light  brown  surface  soils 
with  light  brown  to  yellow  subsoils.  The  surface  is  level  and 
the  natural  drainage  is  somewhat  excessive.  The  soils  are  all 
of  a sandy  nature  and  have  been  deposited  as  stream  terraces 
or  outwashed  plains.  Plainfield  fine  sand  is  the  only  type 
mapped  in  the  series. 

The  Waukesha  series  consists  of  dark  brown  to  black  upland 
prairie  soils  where  the  surface  is  level  and  where  the  deep 
subsoils  grade  into  sand  and  gravel.  The  material  is  largely 
glacial  debris  which  has  been  deposited  by  the  water  as  ter- 
races, filled  in  valleys  or  outwashed  plains.  The  Waukesha  soils 
include  some  of  the  finest  agricultural  land  in  the  region  and 
are  very  highly  improved.  The  types  mapped  are  Waukesha 
silt  loam  with  a deep  phase,  Waukesha  loam,  sandy  loam,  grav- 
elly loam  and  sand. 

The  Baxter  series  consists  of  light  colored  upland  timbered 
soils  where  the  material  has  been  derived  from  the  underlying 
limestone  formation.  The  subsoils  are  usually  brown  or  reddish 
brown  and  grade  into  the  underlying  limestone  at  a depth  of 
18  inches  to  3 feet.  The  clay  loam  is  the  only  type  mapped 
in  this  series. 

Peat  consists  of  large  deposits  of  decaying  vegetable  matter 
with  which  there  has  been  incorporated  a small  amount  of  min- 
eral matter.  These  deposits  extend  to  a depth  of  two  to  ten  or 
more  feet. 

The  material  mapped  as  Peat  has  been  divided  into  two 
classes : that  which  is  over  18  inches  deep  is  called  typical  Peat 
and  that  which  is  less  than  18  inches  deep  has  been  mapped  as 
a shallow  phase  of  Peat. 


18 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


In  the  following  pages  of  this  report  the  various  soils  of 
Rock  County  are  described  in  detail  and  their  relation  to  agri- 
culture is  discussed.  The  distribution  of  the  soils  is  shown  on 
the  accompanying  soil  map  while  the  table  below  gives  the 
name  and  the  actual  and  relative  extent  of  each  kind  of  soil 
mapped. 

AREA  OF  DIFFERENT  SOILS. 


Soil ' 


Carrington,  silt  loam 

Shallow  phase 

Miami  silt  loam 

Deep  phase 

Waukesha  silt  loam 

Deep  phase 

Clyde  silt  loam 

Knox  fine  sandy  loam 

Peat  

Shallow  phase 

Miami  gravelly  loam 

Waukesha  loam 

Sandy  phase 

Fox  silt  loam 

Carrington  fine  sandy  loam. 

Miami  fine  sandy  loam 

Clyde  fine  sandy  loam 

Carrington  loam 

Baxter  clay  loam 

Waukesha  sandy  loam 

Fox  loam 

Boone  fine  sandy  loam 

Knox  loam 

Waukesha  gravelly  loam 

Fox  fine  sandy  loam 

Miami  loam 

Waukesha  sand 

Carrington  gravelly  loam-.. 

Rodman  gravelly  loam 

Plainfield  fine  sand 

Crawford  clay  loam 


Acres  Per  cent 


67,712 

19.1 

19,776 

63,160 

13.8 

37,056 

8.1 

21,760 

41,280 

13.7 

52,672 

11.5 

24,512 

5.3 

7,040 

2.9 

6,208 

13,184 

2.9 

12,672 

2.9 

256 

12,736 

2.8 

9,728 

2.1 

9,344 

2.0 

9,280 

2.0 

9,088 

1.9 

7,424 

1.6 

5,888 

1.3 

4,864 

1.1 

4,672 

1.0 

3,712 

.8 

3,584 

.8 

2,496 

.5 

2,432 

.5 

2,240 

.5 

1,664 

.4 

832 

.2 

748 

.2 

196 

.1 

458,240 

Total 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY  LOAM  SOILS 


19 


CHAPTER  II. 

GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY 
LOAM  SOILS. 

CARRINGTON  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  Carrington  silt  loam  with  its  shal- 
low phase  is  the  most  extensive  and  important  soil  in  Rock 
County.  It  is  found  most  extensively  in  the  southeastern  part 
of  the  county  in  La  Prairie,  Bradford  and  Clinton  Townships. 
Other  extensive  areas  occur  in  the  central  part  of  the  county 
extending  west  from  Janesville,  and  also  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  county,  between  Edgerton  and  Evansville.  In  all,  there 
are  over  100  square  miles  of  this  type  within  the  county  and  it 
occurs  in  every  township  except  Lima. 

Description.  The  Carrington  silt  loam  to  12  or  14  inches 
consists  of  a dark-brown  or  almost  black,  smooth  silt  loam,  rich 
in  organic  matter.  The  upper  subsoil  is  a dingy-brown  silt 
loam,  grading  downward  into  a yellowish-brown  silt  loam.  The 
lower  subsoil  is  a yellowish-brown  silty  clay  loam,  grading  into 
a silty  clay  which  continues  to  a depth  of  3 feet  or  more.  The 
entire  3-foot  section  is  almost  free  from  gravel,  stones  and 
bowlders  and  is  remarkably  uniform  in  its  loess-like  structure 
and  texture.  Immediately  below  this  loess-like  mantle,  which 
varies  from  3 to  8 feet  in  thickness,  the  typical  glacial  till  con- 
sisting of  clay,  silt,  sand  and  gravel  is  encountered.  The  line 
of  separation  between  this  and  the  yellowish-brown  silty  clay 
is  well  defined,  the  upper  part  being  free  from  bowlders  and 
gravel  and  leached  free  of  calcium  carbonate,  while  the  till  is 
filled  with  stones  and  bowlders  and  is  well  supplied  with  cal- 
cium carbonate.  Both  Truog  and  litmus  tests  indicate  that  the 
surface  soil  is  in  an  acid  condition. 

As  mapped,  the  Carrington  silt  loam  is  subject  to  some  vari- 
ations. In  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  in  the  region  cov- 
ered by  the  late  Wisconsin  drift,  and  in  all  the  occurrences  of 
the  type  west  of  Rock  River  and  north  of  the  late  Wisconsin 
terminal  moraine,  there  are  numerous  inclusions  of  a shallow 


20 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


phase  of  the  type  in  which  the  lower  subsoil  is  a sandy  clay  or 
silty  clay  carrying  some  gravel.  When  this  shallow  condition 
is  of  sufficient  extent  it  has  been  shown  on  the  map  as  a shallow 
phase.  Where  the  Carrington  silt  loam  borders  the  Miami  silt 
loam,  it  is  somewhat  lighter  colored  and  contains  less  organic 
matter.  Where  is  borders  the  Clyde  silt  loam  the  lower  sub' 
soil  often  shows  yellow  and  drab  mottlings.  When  gravelly 
areas  occur  within  the  soil  or  when  rock  outcrops  are  formed, 
appropriate  symbols  have  been  placed  on  the  map  to  show 
these  conditions. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  this  type  ranges 
from  nearly  level  to  gently  rolling.  While  there  are  differences 
in  elevation  on  the  prairie  of  about  200  feet  the  slopes  are  long 
and  gentle  so  that  modern  farm  machinery  can  be  operated  on 
very  nearly  all  of  the  type  and  only  in  a few  places  are  the 
slopes  steep  enough  to  make  erosion  a serious  problem.  The 
steepest  portions  of  the  type  are  west  of  Rock  River.  In  most 
places,  the  natural  drainage  is  good,  but  on  some  of  the  more 
level  tracts,  tile  drainage  would  be  beneficial.  The  soil  retains 
moisture  well,  and  resists  drought  as  well  as  any  of  the  other 
soils  of  the  county. 

Present  agricultural  development.  Practically  all  of  this  soil 
is  in  farms  and  highly  improved.  Corn,  oats,  barley  and  hay 
are  the  leading  crops.  Alfalfa  and  wheat  are  grown  to  some 
extent.  Tobacco  and  sugar  beets  are  special  crops. 

For  a discussion  of  the  chemical  composition  and  methods  for 
the  improvement  of  this  soil  see  page  26. 

Carrington  silt  loam,  shallow  phase.  The  surface  soil  of  the 
Carrington  silt  loam,  shallow  phase,  consists  of  a dark-brown 
to  almost  black,  friable  silt  loam,  comparatively  high  in  or- 
ganic matter.  It  usually  contains  some  fine  sand,  and  often 
a small  quantity  of  gravel.  The  Truog  and  litmus  tests  indi- 
cate that  the  surface  soil  is  in  an  acid  condition.  The  sub- 
soil consists  of  a rather  friable,  dingy-brown  silt  loam  grading 
downward  into  a yellowish-brown  silt  clay  loam  which  carries 
some  fine  sand  and  gravel.  At  about  20  to  30  inches  a sandy 
clay  or  sometimes  a sandy  loam,  is  encountered.  The  deep  sub- 
soil grades  into  typical  glacial  till,  composed  of  a miscellaneous 
mixture  of  clay,  sand,  gravel  and  bowlders.  In  many  rather 
large  areas  in  the  old  glacial  drift  region,  lying  south  of  the 


GEO  UP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY  LOAM  SOILS 


21 


late  Wisconsin  terminal  moraine  and  west  of  Rock  River,  where 
the  limestone  is  within  4 feet  of  the  surface,  the  lower  subsoil 
is  a reddish-brown  clay,  carrying  fragments  of  weathered  lime- 
stone, from  which  it  has  originated.  In  places  limestone  frag- 
ments occur  in  both  soil  and  subsoil.  Where  the  type  borders 
the  Miami  silt  loam  it  is  lighter  in  color  and  runs  lower  in  or- 
ganic matter  than  elsewhere,  while  bordering  the  Miami  loam 
or  fine  sandy  loam  or  the  Carrington  loam  or  fine  sandy  loam 
both  soil  and  subsoil  contain  more  fine  sand.  On  some  of  the 
steep  slopes  the  soil  has  been  removed  by  erosion  and  the  till 
bed  is  exposed,  while  in  other  places  the  clay  loam  subsoil  comes 
to  the  surface.  The  phase  as  mapped  includes  small  areas  of 
Carrington  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam. 

The  Carrington  silt  loam,  shallow  phase,  is  extensively  devel- 
oped in  this  county.  Its  principal  occurrence  is  west  of  Rock 
River  in  the  pre-Wisconsin  drift  region,  and  between  Fulton 
and  Cooksville  in  the  region  of  late  Wisconsin  drift.  The  sur- 
face varies  from  gently  rolling  to  rolling.  In  the  area  of  late 
Wisconsin  drift,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  the  surface 
is  in  many  places  interrupted  by  Karnes  or  Eskers  and  other 
morainic  hills,  and  on  the  whole  is  of  a morainic  character  while 
in  the  region  of  pre-Wisconsin  drift,  west  of  the  Rock  River,  the 
topography  is  almost  entirely  developed  by  erosion.  On  account 
of  the  sloping  surface  and  the  open  nature  of  the  soil  and  sub- 
soil, the  natural  drainage  is  good.  On  some  of  the  steeper  slopes, 
where  proper  care  has  not  been  taken,  destructive  erosion  has 
developed. 

This  is  an  extensive  and  important  soil  in  Rock  County. 
Probably  80  per  cent  of  it  is  under  cultivation,  the  remainder 
being  devoted  to  permanent  pasture.  General  farming  in  con- 
junction with  dairying  is  the  leading  type  of  agriculture.  Like 
the  typical  Carrington  silt  loam,  this  is  prairie  soil,  and  the 
native  growth  consists  almost  exclusively  of  prairie  grasses. 

Corn,  oats,  barley,  hay  and  tobacco  are  grown  successfully 
on  this  soil,  but  yields  are  somewhat  lower  than  on  the  typical 
Carrington  silt  loam.  The  soil  is  handled  and  fertilized  in  the 
same  way  as  the  typical  silt  loam. 

Land  of  this  phase  ranges,  in  selling  value  from  $100  to  $200 
an  acre,  depending  upon  the  location  and  improvements,  depth 
of  soil,  etc.,  while  the  typical  soil  frequently  reaches  a value 
of  $300  per  acre  for  the  best  farms. 


22 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


For  a discussion  of  the  chemical  composition  and  methods  for 
the  improvement  of  this  soil  see  page  26. 

WAUKESHA  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  The  Waukesha  silt  loam  with  its 
deep  phase  is  the  most  extensive  and  important  of  the  alluvial 
soils  in  the  county.  The  typical  soil  is  much  less  extensive 
than  the  deep  phase.  The  typical  soil  covers  a total  area  of 
about  twenty-five  square  miles.  The  largest  areas  are  found 
northeast  of  Beloit,  between  the  Rock  and  Turtle  Rivers  and 
immediately  south  of  Janesville.  Other  smaller  areas  occur 
along  the  valley  of  Marsh  Creek. 

Description.  The  Waukesha  silt  loam  to  a depth  of  about 
twelve  inches  contains  a comparatively  high  percentage  of  or- 
ganic matter  and  some  fine  sand.  The  upper  subsoil  is  a dark- 
brown  silt  loam,  grading  downward  into  a brownish-yellow  silt 
loam  or  silty  clay  loam  which  contains  a small  amount  of  sand. 
At  twenty-four  to  thirty-six  inches  a yellow  fine  sandy  loam  or 
sandy  loam  is  encountered,  quickly  passing  into  a gravelly 
sandy  loam  and  below  this  into  stratified  beds  of  gravel  and 
sand.  The  type  as  mapped  includes  patches  of  Waukesha  loam 
not  sufficiently  extensively  to  warrant  separation. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  is  level  to  very 
gently  undulating,  and  the  natural  drainage  is  good.  There  are 
a few  places  where  the  underlying  sand  and  gravel  comes  to 
within  less  than  two  feet  of  the  surface  when  the  soil  suffers 
somewhat  from  extended  dry  spells. 

Waukesha  silt  loam , deep  phase.  This  is  the  most  extensive 
and  important  of  the  terrace  soils  in  Rock  County.  The  deep 
phase  covers  a total  area  of  about  one  and  one-half  townships. 
The  largest  area  occurs  in  a belt  from  three  to  six  miles  wide, 
extending  east  from  Janesville  into  Walworth  County.  This 
belt  within  the  county  is  twelve  miles  long,  and  with  adjoin- 
ing soils  of  the  Carrington  series,  is  known  as  Rock  Prairie. 
The  soil  of  the  Waukesha  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  consists  of  a 
dark  brown  to  almost  black,  smooth  silt  loam,  twelve  to  sixteen 
inches  deep,  comparatively  high  in  organic  matter  and  mark- 
edly acid  as  shown  by  the  Truog  and  litmus  tests.  The  upper 
subsoil  is  a brown  silt  loam,  grading  into  a yellowish-brown  silt 
loam  which  often  continues  to  a depth  of  three  feet  or  more,  but 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY  LOAM  SOILS 


23 


in  some  places  gives  way  to  silty  clay  loam  at  about  thirty 
inches.  Both  soil  and  subsoil  are  free  from  sand,  gravel  and 
bowlders  but  beds  of  gravel  and  sand  occur  at  depths  ranging 
from  four  to  twelve  feet,  as  may  be  seen  on  the  sides  of  gullies. 
The  deep  phase  has  the  same  topographic  features  as  the  typi- 
cal soil,  but  because  of  its  depth  and  heavy  nature  of  the  sub- 
soil, the  drainage  is  somewhat  deficient  and  tile  drains  could 
be  installed  to  advantage  over  part  of  this  soil.  This  would 
make  possible  getting  on  the  land  earlier  in  the  spring  and 
sooner  after  heavy  rains. 

As  the  silty  covering  over  the  sand  and  gravel  is  much 
deeper  than  the  typical  soil,  and  as  it  is  free  from  coarse  ma- 
terial, it  has  somewhat  more  the  nature  of  wind  blown  mate- 
rial, and  may  be  of  loessial  origin.  The  entire  type  is  acid,  and 
the  acidity  extends  well  into  the  subsoil. 

Present  agricultural  development.  The  Waukesha  silt  loam 
with  its  deep  phase  averages  the  highest  priced  farm  land  in 
the  country.  It  is  practically  all  tillable  and  is  all  in  well- 
improved  farms.  It  is  excellent  farming  land  and  is  devoted 
to  general  farming  and  dairying.  Corn,  oats,  barley  and  hay 
are  the  principal  crops,  corn  occupying  the  largest  acreage. 
Some  wheat  is  also  grown.  Sugar  beets  and  tobacco  are  special 
crops.  This  land  has  a selling  value  of  from  $150  to  $300,  de- 
pending upon  the  improvements,  location,  etc. 

For  a discussion  of  the  chemical  composition  and  the  best 
methods  for  improving  the  soil,  see  page  26. 

MIAMI  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  The  Miami  silt  loam  with  its  deep 
phase  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  types  of  soil  in  Bock  County. 
It  covers  extensive  areas  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  and 
there  is  also  an  extensive  area  in  the  southeastern  corner.  W est 
of  Afton  and  between  Brodhead  and  Evansville  are  other  im- 
portant tracts.  Numerous  smaller  patches  occur  throughout 
the  county. 

The  typical  soil  is  all  confined  to  the  northern  part  of  the 
county. 

Description.  The  typical  Miami  silt  loam  to  a depth  of  ten 
or  twelve  inches  is  a light-brown  silt  loam,  often  containing  a 
small  amount  of  fine  sand  and  gravel,  and  being  low  in  organic 


24 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


matter.  Truog  and  litmus  tests  show  that  the  soil  is  some- 
what acid.  The  upper  subsoil  is  yellowish-brown  silt  loam,  grad- 
ing at  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  into  a yellow  silty  clay  loam 
which  contains  considerable  fine  sand  and  gravel.  At  about 
twenty-four  inehes  a sandy  clay,  containing  some  gravel,  is  en- 
countered, and  this  continues  to  a depth  of  three  feet  or  more. 

The  type  is  subject  to  considerable  variation,  especially  in 
the  depth  of  the  silty  covering  and  in  the  content  of  sand  and 
fine  gravel.  In  depressions  between  gravel  knolls  and  ridges 
and  in  level  areas  the  silt  loam  is  deeper  than  typical,  while 
on  ridges,  knolls  and  steep  slopes  the  soil  may  be  washed  off, 
the  sandy  clay  near  the  surface  and  occasionally  exposed. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  the  typical  Miami 
silt  loam  is  characteristic  of  a glacial  region,  and  varies  from 
gently  rolling  to  rolling.  There  are  numerous  morainic  ridges, 
kettle  holes,  drumlins,  etc.  Between  some  of  the  higher  eleva- 
tions, there  are  areas  of  gently  undulating  land.  Because  of 
the  surface  features  and  the  open  characters  of  the  subsoil,  the 
natural  surface  and  under  drainage  are  both  good,  yet  the 
soil  is  sufficiently  heavy  to  retain  moisture  well. 

Present  agricultural  development.  This  is  an  important  type 
and  fully  eighty  per  cent  of  it  is  under  cultivation.  General 
farming  with  dairying  is  the  chief  type  of  agriculture. 

Corn,  hay,  oats  and  barley  are  the  leading  crops,  ranking 
in  acreage  in  order  named.  Irish  potatoes,  wheat,  rye,  beans 
and  alfalfa  are  grown  in  a small  way  and  tobacco,  peas,  and 
sugar  beets  are  special  crops  of  importance.  Tobacco  is  grown 
extensively  about  Edgerton  and  to  some  extent  over  the  entire 
type.  Near  Evansville  a number  of  farmers  are  engaged  in 
growing  peas  for  canning.  Sugar  beets  are  grown  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  Rock  County  and  are  shipped  largely  to  the  fac- 
tory at  Janesville.  There  are  a number  of  home  apple  orchards, 
but  the  trees  are  largely  neglected  and  the  fruit  is  usually  of 
inferior  quality. 

The  value  of  land  of  the  Miami  silt  loam  ranges  from  $100 
to  $250  an  acre,  depending  upon  the  location  and  improvements. 

Miami  silt  loam,  deep  phase.  The  Miami  silt  loam,  deep 
phase,  to  a depth  of  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  consists  of  a 
light  brown,  friable  silt  loam,  low  in  organic  matter.  When 
dry,  the  surface  material  has  an  ashen  appearance.  Gravel,  bowl- 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


Plate  1 


VIEW  OF  MIAMI  SILT  LOAM. 

Showing  typical  surface  features  of  Miami  silt  loam  as  this  type  is  found 
in  Rock  County. 


SOIL  SECTION— MIAMI  SILT  LOAM. 

Showing  the  unassorted  glacial  material  forming  the  subsoil,  and  the  thin 
layer  of  silty,  stone  free  material  which  forms  the  surface  soil. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Na^.-Hist.  Survey. 


Plate  II 


\ 

VIEW  OF  MIAMI  SILT  LOAM,  DEEP  PHASE. 


Showing  the  smooth  topography  and  long  gentle  slopes  characteristic  of  this 
soil.  It  is  confined  largely  to  the  southeastern  part  of  Rock  County,  and  is 
excellent  farming  land. 


SOIL  SECTION  OF  THE  DEEP  FHASE  OF  MIAMI  SILT  LOAM. 

The  point  of  the  auger  marks  the  point  of  contact  between  the  stone  free 
loess-like  surface  section,  and  the  underlying  unassorted  glacial  drift  mate- 
rial which  contains  considerable  gravel  and  coarse  material.  The  loess-like 
covering  ranges  from  three  to  six  feet  in  thickness. 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY  LOAM  SOILS  25 

ders  and  fine  sand  are  noticeably  less  abundant  than  in  the 
typical  Miami  silt  loam,  and  are  frequently  entirely  lacking. 
Tests  show  that  this  soil  is  somewhat  acid,  the  strongest  usually 
being  on  the  ridges.  This  acidity  frequently  extends  to  below 
three  feet.  The  subsoil  consists  of  a yellowish-brown  silt  loam 
which  becomes  heavier  with  depth,  grading  at  about  twenty- 
four  inches  into  a silty  clay  loam  which  at  thirty-four  to  thirty- 
six  inches  often  shows  a slight  mottling  of  gray.  Both  soil  and 
subsoil  have  a very  smooth  feel  and  a loess-like  structure.  There 
is  a sharp  line  of  separation  between  the  upper  silty  material 
and  the  underlying  glacial  till,  which  contains  stones,  bowl- 
ders and  gravel.  The  gravel  consists  chiefly  of  limestone.  This 
till  bed  is  found  at  from  thirty  inches  to  five  feet.  In  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  county  this  very  silty  covering  is  fre- 
quently 6 to  8 feet  deep. 

Where  this  phase  borders  the  Carrington  or  Clyde  soils  the 
color  at  the  surface  may  range  from  brown  to  dark  brown. 
Where  it  borders  the  typical  Miami  silt  loam  it  often  contains 
some  gravel  at  depths  of  24  to  36  inches.  Some  areas  of  typical 
Miami  silt  loam  and  Clyde  silt  loam,  too  small  in  extent  to  war- 
rant separation,  are  included  with  the  phase. 

The  Miami  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  is  found  in  all  but  two  of 
the  townships  in  the  county.  The  largest  area,  however,  is  in 
the  southeastern  corner  of  the  area  in  Turtle  and  Clinton 
Townships.  The  surface  ranges  from  gently  undulating  to 
gently  rolling.  Drainage  is  good  except  in  the  more  gently 
undulating  areas,  where  tile  drains  are  needed.  The  surface  is 
smoother  than  the  typical  soil  and  long  gentle  slopes  are  quite 
common.  The  soil  retains  moisture  very  well,  and  crops  suffer 
less  during  long,  dry  periods  than  on  most  of  the  other  soils 
of  the  county.  The  phase  is  not  subject  to  destructive  erosion. 

This  is  one  of  the  more  productive  soils  of  the  county  and 
about  90  per  cent  of  it  is  under  cultivation.  General  farming 
in  connection  with  dairying  is  the  leading  type  of  agriculture. 
The  small  woodlots  support  a growth  of  bur  oak,  black  oak,  red 
oak,  maple,  elm,  hickory  and  cherry.  The  same  crops  are  grown 
as  on  the  typical  soil,  and  the  farming  methods  are  similar. 
Yields  are  slightly  higher,  and  the  selling  price  shows  some 
difference,  ranging  from  $150  to  $250  an  acre. 

For  a discussion  of  the  chemical  composition  and  methods  for 
the  improvement  of  this  soil,  see  page  26. 


26 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


FOX  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  This  type  occurs  in  comparatively 
large  areas  several  miles  north  of  Johnstown  Center,  west  of 
Milton  Junction  and  north  of  Janesville  along  Bock  River. 
Small  areas  are  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  country. 

Description.  The  Fox  silt  loam  to  a depth  of  ten  to  twelve 
inches,  consists  of  a light-brown,  or  grayish-brown,  friable  silt 
loam  which  has  a whitish  appearance  when  dry,  owing  to  its 
very  low  content  of  organic  matter.  The  material  is  almost 
free  from  sand  and  gravel,  and  has  an  extremely  smooth  feel. 
The  upper  subsoil  is  brownish-yellow  silt  loam,  grading  at  six- 
teen to  twenty  inches  into  a yellow  silty  clay  loam  which  may 
continue  to  a depth  of  three  feet  or  more.  In  many  places  a 
silty  fine  sandy  loam  is  encountered  at  any  depth  from  twenty- 
two  to  thirty-six  inches.  It  is  underlain  by  stratified  beds  of 
sand  or  gravel. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  is  level  to  very  gently 
undulating,  and  the  natural  drainage  is  sufficient  except  where 
the  underlying  beds  of  sand  and  gravel  are  three  feet  or  more 
below  the  surface.  Bordering  Clyde  areas,  the  drainage  is  also 
frequently  deficient. 

Native  vegetation.  The  original  timber  growth  consisted  of 
oak,  elm,  hickory  and  some  ash  and  elm. 

Present  agricultural  development.  Corn,  oats,  barley,  clover 
and  timothy  hay  are  the  most  important  crops.  Irish  potatoes, 
sugar  beets  and  tobacco  are  grown  rather  extensively  in  some 
sections.  Very  nearly  all  of  this  land  is  cleared  and  included 
in  highly  Improved  farms. 

Land  of  the  Fox  silt  loam  has  a selling  value  of  $120  to  $200 
an  acre,  according  to  the  location  and  state  of  improvements. 

The  methods  suggested  for  the  improvement  of  Miami  silt 
loam  will  apply  equally  well  to  the  Fox  silt  loam. 

CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  AND  IMPROVEMENT  OF  UPLAND  SILT 
LOAM  SOILS  IN  ROCK  COUNTY. 

These  soils  are  very  similar  in  the  texture,  and  structure  of 
the  surface  and  the  upper  portion  of  the  subsoil  section.  They 
differ  chiefly  in  color.  The  Waukesha  and  Carrington  silt 
loams  are  dark  colored  prairie  soils,  and  both  are  high  in  or- 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY  LOAM  SOILS 


27 


ganic  matter  and  nitrogen.  Miami  and  Fox  silt  loams  are  light 
colored  and  are  timbered  soils  low  in  organic  matter.  The  types 
are  so  closely  related  that  with  few  exceptions  methods  for  the 
improvement  of  one  will  apply  to  the  others. 

The  four  elements  of  plant  food  with  which  the  farmer  is 
most  concerned  in  his  farming  operations,  and  the  ones  which 
are  the  most  apt  to  be  deficient  are  nitrogen,  phosphorus,  potas- 
sium and  lime  or  calcium.  He  should  know  the  part  which  each 
plays  in  the  development  of  the  plant,  and  what  are  the  best 
methods  of  maintaining  an  adequate  supply  in  the  soil. 

The  soil  has  been  leaching  for  a large  number  of  years,  and 
has  lost  much  of  the  lime  which  it  may  have  contained.  Varying 
degrees  of  acidity  have  developed  over  the  entire  region.  The 
loss  of  lime  from  the  soil  is  caused  by  two  distinct  factors,  both 
of  which  are  important.  Crops  require  lime  in  their  growth.  A 
5 ton  crop  of  alfalfa  requires  185  pounds  of  lime  and  2 tons  of 
red  clover  removes  61.6  pounds.  A much  larger  amount  is  re- 
moved by  leaching  each  year  and  these  losses  must  be  made  up 
by  the  application  of  lime  in  order  to  maintain  the  fertility  of 
this  soil. 

Tests  show  that  the  subsoil,  especially  of  the  deep  phase  of 
Miami  silt  loam  is  frequently  deficient  in  lime  to  a depth  of 
thirty-two  inches  or  more.  The  deficiency  frequently  extends 
down  to  where  fine  gravel  and  coarse  sand  is  found  in  the 
subsoil. 

While  it  will  be  seen  from  tests  that  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  this  land  shows  some  degrees  of  acidity  it  does  not  mean  that 
all  of  the  land  is  in  immediate  need  of  lime.  Where  such  crops 
as  alfalfa,  sugar  beets,  tobacco,  peas,  cabbage  and  other  garden 
crops  are  grown  and  where  the  acidity  is  medium  from  2 to  3 
tons  per  acre  of  ground  limestone  may  be  used  with  profit. 
Where  a liberal  supply  of  manure  is  available  the  need  for 
lime  will  not  be  so  great.  The  second  application  which  may 
be  needed  after  4 or  5 years  will  be  less  than  the  first. 

Where  such  crops  as  corn,  clover  and  oats  are  grown  with 
manure  once  during  each  rotation  a smaller  amount  of  lime  will 
be  needed.  On  parts  of  the  farm  where  manure  cannot  be  ap- 
plied the  lime  can  be  used  with  profit  on  such  soils  and  may  be 
actually  necessary  for  economic  production.  The  greater  need 
will  usually  be  on  the  higher  places,  rather  than  on  the  lower 
slopes. 


28 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


It  has  been  quite  definitely  established  that  the  need  for  lime 
in  these  soils  runs  practically  parallel  with  the  need  of  phos- 
phorus. The  use  of  lime  alone  will  not  make  enough  phos- 
phorus available,  and  the  use  of  a phosphate  fertilizer  will  not 
supply  the  lime  requirements  of  the  soil.  Either  lime  alone 
or  acid  phosphate  alone  will  give  increased  yields,  but  neither 
alone  will  give  as  great  an  increase  nor  as  profitable  an  increase 
as  when  both  are  supplied.  In  the  improvement  of  these  lands, 
therefore,  provision  for  the  use  of  both  lime  and  a phosphate 
fertilizer  should  be  made. 

Phosphorus  exists  in  all  soils  in  Wisconsin  in  small  amounts. 
Many  of  the  best  types  in  the  state  contain  only  1,200  pounds 
to  the  acre  eight  inches  deep,  and  this  is  in  a form  which  be- 
comes available  to  crops  very  slowly.  Phosphorus  is  constantly 
being  lost  from  the  farm  in  crops,  milk  and  in  the  bones  of  ani- 
mals sold.  It  is  well  understood  that  when  grain,  hay,  potatoes 
or  other  cash  crops  are  sold,  this  element  is  removed  from  the 
farm.  This  element  cannot  be  supplied  from  the  air  and  in  the 
long  run  the  loss  must  be  made  up  through  additions  of  phos- 
phorus fertilizer  in  some  form. 

Ten  samples  of  Waukesha  silt  loam  gave  an  average  of  1,408 
pounds  per  acre.  In  16  samples  of  Miami  silt  loam  the  average 
amount  of  phosphorus  present  was  1,057  pounds  per  acre.  The 
lowest  amount  found  in  any  of  the  samples  was  800  pounds  per 
acre.  The  number  of  pounds  of  phosphorus  in  the  soil,  how- 
ever, cannot  be  taken  to  indicate  the  immediate  need  for  phos- 
phate fertilizer.  The  system  of  farming  followed,  crops  grown, 
type  of  soil  and  conditions  relative  to  acidity  are  all  important 
factors  in  determining  the  need  for  phosphorus.  It  should  also 
be  borne  in  mind  that  where  soils  are  acid  the  amount  of  phos- 
phorus which  they  do  contain  is  not  so  readily  available  to 
plants  as  in  soils  which  are  not  acid. 

On  good  upland  soil  where  dairying  or  general  farming  is 
practiced  the  use  of  200  pounds  of  16  per  cent  acid  phosphate 
or  75  pounds  of  44  per  cent  super-phosphate  to  the  acre  every 
four  or  five  years  will  maintain  the  phosphorus  supply.  If 
much  grain,  potatoes  or  other  crops  are  sold,  more  phosphate 
should  be  used. 

On  the  farm  of  Roy  Marshall  at  Elkhorn  in  Walworth 
County  an  application  of  one  hundred  pounds  per  acre 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY  LOAM  SOILS 


29 


of  treble  superphosphate  (44  per  cent)  on  corn  gave  a 
yield  of  15,570  pounds  of  silage  while  on  the  untreated  plot 
the  yield  was  13,335  pounds  per  acre.  In  a test  on  the  Station 
Farm  at  Madison,  on  the  Miami  silt  loam  soil  a phosphate  fer- 
tilizer applied  at  the  rate  of  two  hundred  pounds  per 
acre  on  oats  gave  a yield  of  93.8  bushels  while  the  untreated 
yield  was  70.4  bushels.  This  was  on  land  where  the  fertility 
was  quite  high.  In  another  case  where  500  lbs.  of  16  per  cent 
acid  phosphate  per  acre  was  applied  to  prairie  land  which  re- 
ceived both  manure  and  limestone  the  yield  of  alfalfa  was 
nearly  doubled.  In  some  of  these  cases  the  increase  is  small 
but  it  should  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  fertilizer  left  over  in 
the  soil  will  be  of  considerably  value  to  the  following  crop,  es- 
pecially clover. 

On  soils  relatively  low  in  fertility  somewhat  more  phosphate 
should  be  used  at  first.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  dark 
prairie  soils  which  have  grown  corn  or  small  grain  a long  time 
without  the  use  of  manure  or  other  fertilizer. 

If  considerable  amounts  of  bran  or  cottonseed  meal  are  fed, 
which  are  relatively  high  in  phosphorus,  the  supply  of  this 
element  may  be  maintained.  It  would  usually  be  necessary  to 
feed  at  least  one-half  ton  of  bran  or  cottonseed  meal  to  each 
cow  on  a dairy  farm  per  year  to  maintain  the  phosphorus  supply 
of  the  soil.  Since  comparatively  few  farmers  do  that  some 
phosphate  fertilizer  should  be  used. 

Potassium  exists  in  these  soils  in  large  amounts,  but  in  rela- 
tively unavailable  form.  Chemical  analyses  show  that  they 
often  contain  from  30,000  to  40,000  pounds  an  acre  eight  inches, 
while  these  same  soils  will  contain  only  one-eighteenth  as  much 
phosphorus.  On  most  soils  of  fairly  heavy  texture,  when  live 
stock  is  maintained,  and  the  manure  carefully  used  so  there 
is  considerable  actively  decomposing  organic  matter  in  the  soil, 
a sufficient  amount  of  potassium  will  become  available  from 
year  to  year  to  supply  the  needs  of  general  farm  crops.  There 
are  some  crops  that  need  relatively  large  amounts  of  potassium 
such  as  potatoes,  tobacco  and  cabbage  and  they  will  often  be 
benefited  by  some  addition  of  potash  in  the  form  of  commercial 
fertilizer. 

Nitrogen  is  chiefly  responsible  for  the  dark  green,  healthy 
color  and  rapid  growth  of  corn  or  other  crops  on  well  manured 


30 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


land.  It  is  important  to  have  sufficient  amounts  in  the  soil,  but 
when  in  excess  it  is  detrimental  for  some  crops.  The  quality  of 
the  grain  may  be  injured  by  too  much  nitrogen.  When  the 
grain  lodges  the  kernels  do  not  fully  mature. 

Virgin  soils  contain  large  amounts  of  nitrogen  but  if  they 
are  cropped  continuously  to  such  crops  as  corn,  oats  and  timo- 
thy without  the  addition  of  fertilizer  material  containing  nitro- 
gen the  nitrogen  supply  is  gradually  exhausted  and  the  yields 
are  reduced. 

The  supply  of  organic  matter  and  nitrogen  in  the  prairie 
soils  is  considerably  higher  than  in  the  light  colored  timber 
soils.  Eight  soils  tested  from  the  Waukesha  silt  loam  contained 
an  average  of  4,500  pounds  of  nitrogen  in  the  surface  eight 
inches  per  acre.  Carrington  silt  loam  will  average  about  the 
same.  This  amount  is  considered  a very  good  supply.  A ques- 
tion of  importance  in  connection  with  the  nitrogen  of  this  soil, 
however,  is  its  availability  to  plants,  and  in  the  soils  which  have 
been  under  cultivation  for  a long  number  of  years,  this  nitrogen 
is  somewhat  inert,  and  when  in  this  condition,  decaying  vege- 
table matter,  green  crops,  or  manure  plowed  under  will  give  a 
more  readily  available  supply  of  nitrogen. 

The  clover,  alfalfa,  peas  and  beans  have  bacteria  on  their 
roots  that  take  the  free  nitrogen  from  the  air  and  store  it  in 
the  plant  roots.  This  is  the  cheapest  method  of  obtaining  nitro- 
gen and  one  which  the  farmers  should  use  to  the  fullest  extent. 
On  the  ordinary  dairy  farm  at  least  one-fourth  of  the  land 
under  cultivation  should  be  seeded  to  clover  or  alfalfa.  This 
should  be  fed  to  stock  or  plowed  under  as  green  manure  to 
insure  keeping  up  the  supply  of  nitrogen  and  organic  matter. 

A rotation  with  a legume  plowed  under  will  secure  nitrogen 
and  reduce  danger  from  diseases,  and  when  supplemented  with 
phosphorus  and  potassium  fertilizers  the  legumes  thus  treated 
will  take  the  place  of  manure,  which  can  then  be  used  for  other 
crops  on  the  farm. 

Certain  crops  such  as  tobacco,  potatoes  and  vegetables  are 
grown  by  farmers  who  do  not  keep  much  livestock  and  who 
do  not  rotate  these  crops  with  legumes.  This  is  not  a good  prac- 
tice. 


GBOUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  AND  CLAY  LOAM  SOILS  31 
CRAWFORD  CLAY  LOAM. 

The  Crawford  clay  loam  consists  of  a blackish  clay  loam,  clay, 
or  sandy  clay,  passing  at  about  8 inches  into  a heavy  dark  red- 
dish brown  clay,  which  at  12  inches  grades  into  weathered  lime- 
stone from  which  the  soil  has  been  derived.  Angular  fragments 
of  limestone  and  chert  are  scattered  over  the  surface  and  mixed 
through  the  soil  section  in  sufficient  quantities  to  hinder  or  even 
prevent  cultivation. 

This  type  is  confined  to  a few  small  areas  along  ridges  and 
steep  hillsides  southwest  of  Orfordville.  The  total  area  will 
not  exceed  one  square  mile.  The  surface  drainage  is  usually 
good. 

Because  of  its  small  extent  and  the  closeness  of  the  limestone 
to  the  surface,  the  type  is  difficult  to  cultivate  and  it  is  unim- 
portant in  the  agriculture  of  Rock  County.  Probably  75  per 
cent  of  it  is  under  cultivation.  Corn,  oats  and  hay  are  grown, 
and  give  fair  yields. 

The  incorporation  of  vegetable  matter  will  improve  the  tex- 
ture of  this  soil  and  make  it  easier  to  cultivate.  The  steep  slopes 
should  be  kept  in  permanent  pasture,  on  account  of  washing. 

BAXTER  CLAY  LOAM. 

This  type  is  not  extensive.  It  is  found  only  in  the  western 
part  of  the  county  in  Magnolia,  Spring  Valley,  and  Avon 
townships  with  a few  scattered  areas  in  Newark  township.  The 
total  area  is  less  than  ten  square  miles. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Baxter  clay  loam  is  a light  brown  to 
brown  silt  loam  to  silty  clay  loam,  containing  a small  amount 
of  organic  matter.  At  eight  to  eleven  inches  a reddish-yellow 
clay  is  encountered,  grading  at  sixteen  to  thirty  inches  into  the 
weathered  limestone.  Irregular  limestone  and  chert  fragments 
are  often  scattered  over  the  surface,  and  are  present  in  both  soil 
and  subsoil.  On  steep  slopes  the  reddish-brown  clay  is  often 
exposed  at  the  surface.  As  mapped,  this  type  includes  many 
small  areas  of  loam  and  silt  loam.  The  loam  variation  consists 
of  a light-brown  loam,  low  in  organic  matter,  underlain  at  eight 
to  twelve  inches  by  a reddish-brown,  sandy  clay  loam,  or  sandy 
clay,  which  grades  at  sixteen  to  twenty-four  inches  into  the 
weathered  limestone.  Limestone  and  chert  fragments  are  often 


32 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


present  in  both  soil  and  subsoil,  and  are  scattered  over  the  sur- 
face. On  the  steep  slopes  where  erosion  has  been  active  there 
are  many  exposures  of  reddish-brown  clay.  The  loam  is  in- 
extensive.  It  occurs  in  Spring  Valley  township,  the  western 
part  of  Newark  township,  and  the  northern  part  of  Avon  town- 
ship. The  surface  is  rolling  or  steep,  and  the  surface  drainage 
is  good.  Practically  the  same  crops  are  grown,  and  the  same 
yields  are  obtained  as  on  the  clay  loam. 

The  surface  is  rolling  to  hilly.  The  type  occupies  steep  slopes 
and  sharp  narrow  ridges  where  erosion  is  serious,  having  de- 
veloped numerous  deep  gullies  and  ravines.  Because  of  the 
uneven  surface  features,  the  natural  surface  drainage  is  good. 

The  original  timber  growth  consisted  of  several  varieties  of 
oak,  maple,  poplar,  hickory  and  some  basswood.  Most  of  the 
merchantable  timber  has  been  cut. 

Probably  twenty-five  per  cent  of  this  soil  is  cultivated;  the 
remainder  is  used  largely  as  permanent  pasture.  The  heavy 
character  of  this  soil  and  the  rolling  surface  makes  cultivation 
difficult.  Methods  for  improvement  of  Miami  silt  loam  will 
apply  fairly  well  to  this  soil. 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS 


33 


CHAPTER  III. 

GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS. 

KNOX  LOAM. 

Knox  loam  is  of  limited  extent  and  of  minor  importance  in 
Rock  County.  It  occurs  only  in  small  patches  and  is  found 
chiefly  in  Newark,  Avon,  Valley  and  Plymouth  Townships.  The 
largest  area  covers  less  than  one  square  mile. 

The  surface  is  a light  brown  loam  with  only  a moderate 
amount  of  organic  matter.  This  extends  to  about  8 to  10 
inches  where  the  material  is  usually  lighter  in  color.  A yel- 
lowish-brown sticky  sandy  loam  or  light  clay  loam  is  found  at 
14  to  18  inches,  and  this  frequently  becomes  heavier  with 
depth.  It  frequently  grades  into  reddish-brown,  heavy  gritty 
material  at  about  2 feet  and  then  rests  upon  limestone  at  30 
to  36  inches.  In  other  places  the  subsoil  is  more  sandy  and  the 
rock  is  not  reached  in  the  3-foot  section.  In  a few  places  the 
bed  rock  was  found  within  2 feet  of  the  surface,  but  in  most 
instances  it  was  below  3 feet. 

The  surface  is  gently  rolling,  and  the  natural  drainage  is 
good.  But  little  damage  has  been  caused  by  erosion,  but  on 
the  steeper  slopes  there  is  some  danger  of  washing  when  fields 
are  not  covered  by  a growing  crop. 

This  soil  is  all  found  within  the  region  covered  by  the  pre- 
Wisconsin  ice-sheet,  and  a large  part  of  it  has  been  derived 
from  the  old  glacial  material.  This  glacial  deposit,  however, 
is  thin,  and  in  numerous  places  the  subsoil  has  been  derived 
from  the  weathering  of  underlying  limestone.  Some  of  the 
fine  particles  may  be  of  wind  blown  or  loessial  origin.  While 
coming  in  part  from  limestone  material,  the  surface  soil  is 
usually  at  least  slightly  acid. 

The  native  timber  was  hardwood,  consisting  of  hickory,  oak, 
maple,  with  some  walnut. 

This  soil  is  mostly  under  cultivation  and  devoted  to  the  gen- 
eral farm  crops  of  this  region.  In  crop  yields  and  general  pro- 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

ductiveness,  and  methods  of  farming  practiced  upon  it,  this 
soil  is  very  similar  to  the  Knox  fine  sandy  loam. 

For  methods  of  improvement  and  chemical  analyses  of  this 
soil,  see  page  44. 

MIAMI  LOAM. 

The  Miami  loam  is  of  very  limited  extent,  and  is  confined  to 
a few  scattered  areas  in  Porter,  Milton,  and  Lima  townships. 
The  largest  area  of  about  one  square  mile  is  located  about  four 
miles  northeast  of  Milton  Junction.  The  total  amount  of  this 
type  in  the  county  does  not  exceed  two  square  miles. 

The  surface  soil  is  a light  brown  loam  to  a depth  of  8 
to  11  inches,  underlain  by  a yellowish-brown  loam,  grading 
at  fourteen  inches  into  a sandy  clay  loam,  which  becomes  a 
reddish-yellow  sandy  clay,  extending  to  a depth  of  over  three 
feet.  Fine  gravel  stores  are  frequently  found  in  the  subsoil, 
and  some  may  also  appear  upon  the  surface.  The  type  is  quite 
variable,  and  includes  patches  of  silt  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam. 
The  surface  is  gently  rolling,  and  the  natural  drainage  is  good. 

Most  of  the  lime  carbonate  has  been  leached  from  the  sur- 
face soil,  and  varying  degrees  of  acidity  have  developed. 

Practically  all  of  the  native  timber  has  been  removed,  and 
most  of  the  type  has  been  placed  under  cultivation. 

It  is  well  suited  to  all  general  farm  crops  grown  in  this  re- 
gion. Because  of  its  limited  extent,  few,  if  any,  farms  are  lo- 
cated entirely  upon  it,  and  no  methods  peculiar  to  this  soil 
have  been  devised.  In  the  methods  followed  and  yields  ob- 
tained, this  soil  is  very  similar  to  the  Miami  fine  sandy  loam, 
which  is  found  in  much  larger  areas  in  Rock  County. 

For  methods  of  improvement  and  for  the  chemical  composi- 
tion of  this  soil,  see  page  44. 

FOX  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  The  Fox  loam  is  well  distributed 
in  small  areas  throughout  the  western  part  of  the  county,  with 
only  a few  areas  east  of  Rock  River  in  Turtle  Township.  The 
largest  area  occurs  southeast  of  Evansville. 

Description.  The  Fox  loam  consists  of  a brown  loam,  pass- 
ing at  about  10  inches  into  a heavy,  yellowish  brown  loam  or 
light  sandy  clay  loam,  which  grades  downward  into  a yellow- 


GBOUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SAND7  LOAM l 


35 


brown  or  brownish-yellow  gravelly  sandy  clay.  At  about  30 
inches  stratified  beds  of  yellow  gravel  and  sand  are  encoun- 
tered. Litmus  paper  tests  show  that  the  surface  soil  is  acid. 
In  some  places  the  beds  of  gravel  and  sand  are  within  20  inches 
of  the  surface,  while  in  others  they  do  not  occur  within  the 
3 foot  section.  Southeast  of  Evansville  the  surface  soil  is 
somewhat  darker  than  typical,  and  the  subsoil  shows  more  or 
less  mottling  with  yellow,  brown  and  drab.  There  are  some 
included  areas,  too  small  to  map,  of  Fox  silt  loam  and  fine 
sandy  loam  and  Clyde  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam. 

Small  areas  of  a fine  sandy  loam  variation  are  included  with 
this  type.  The  variation  consists  of  about  10  inches  of  light- 
brown  to  brown  fine  sandy  loam,  underlain  by  pale-yellow 
sandy  loam  which  extends  to  12  or  14  inches,  becoming  heavier 
with  depth.  The  pale  yellow  subsoil  ranges  from  a heavy  fine 
sandy  loam  to  a sandy  clay.  In  some  places  it  extends  to  a 
depth  of  more  than  3 feet,  while  in  others  a bed  of  stratified 
medium  and  fine  sand  or  gravel  is  encountered  at  depths  of  2 
to  3 feet.  This  soil  has  a total  area  of  less  than  2 square  miles, 
but  is  rather  widely  distributed  over  that  part  of  the  county 
west  of  Rock  River. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  topography  ranges  from  al- 
most level  to  gently  sloping  or  gently  undulating,  and  the  nat- 
ural drainage  is  usually  good  except  in  the  areas  southeast  of 
Evansville  where  artificial  drainage  would  be  beneficial.  The 
soil  is  open  and  porous,  and  readily  absorbs  the  normal  rainfall. 

Present  agricultural  development.  Nearly  all  of  this  type  is 
under  cultivation,  and  is  devoted  chiefly  to  corn,  oats,  barley, 
rye,  and  hay.  The  methods  of  cultivation  followed  and  yields 
secured  are  the  same  as  on  the  Fox  silt  loam.  The  type  is  easy 
to  cultivate,  and  a mellow  seed  bed  can  be  readily  obtained. 
The  soil  is  deficient  in  organic  matter,  and  is  somewhat  acid. 

Methods  of  the  improvement  of  this  soil  are  discussed  on  page 
44  of  this  report. 

FOX  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

This  soil,  to  a depth  of  about  ten  inches,  consists  of  a loamy 
brown  sand,  underlain  by  a brownish-yellow  loamy  sand  which 
at  about  14  inches  grades  into  yellow  sandy  loam,  the  latter  con- 
tinuing to  a depth  of  more  than  36  inches.  There  is  usually  some 


36 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNT* 


gravel  in  the  lower  subsoil.  In  places  the  surface  soil  is  a 
brown  sandy  loam,  passing  at  about  10  inches  into  a yellow 
sandy  clay  loam  which  grades  downward  into  a yellow  sandy 
loam.  In  some  places  beds  of  gravel  and  sand  are  encountered 
within  the  3-foot  section. 

The  soil  is  found  on  the  lower  terraces  along  Rock  River,  on 
the  higher  terraces  along  Sugar  River  and  Bass  Creek,  and 
on  the  outwash  plain  south  of  Evansville.  The  surface  is  level 
to  gently  undulating  but  drainage  is  well  established. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  farm  crops  extensively  grown  in 
the  region  some  buckwheat  and  Irish  potatoes  are  also  grown. 
The  methods  of  cultivation  and  fertilization  on  this  phase  are 
essentially  the  same  as  on  Miami  fine  sandy  loam. 

For  a discussion  of  the  chemical  composition  and  methods  for 
the  improvement  of  this  soil,  see  page  44. 

KNOX  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  This  soil  is  confined  to  the  south- 
western quarter  of  Rock  County  where  it  is  quite  generally 
distributed.  It  makes  up  fully  half  of  Newark  Township  and 
a smaller  proportion  of  adjoining  townships. 

Description.  The  surface  soil  to  a depth  of  eight  to  ten 
inches  consists  of  a light  brown  fine  sandy  loam  containing  a 
small  amount  of  organic  matter.  It  is  underlain  by  a brownish- 
yellow  fine  sandy  loam  which  usually  grades  into  a sandy  clay 
loam  at  from  eighteen  to  twenty-four  inches.  This  usually 
continues  to  a depth  of  three  feet  or  more.  The  soil  section 
is  quite  variable  and  in  places  the  lower  portion  is  more  sandy 
than  indicated  above.  In  other  places,  the  underlying  rock 
may  come  within  the  three  foot  section,  and  this  is  overlain  by 
a heavy  reddish-brown  clay.  Rock  outcrops  are  quite  common, 
and  over  limited  areas,  all  depths  of  soil  over  rock  from  a 
few  inches  to  three  feet  are  to  be  found. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  most  of  this  type 
is  rolling  with  some  areas  which  are  only  undulating  to  gently 
rolling.  The  natural  drainage  is  good,  and  over  the  most  sandy 
places  it  is  inclined  to  be  excessive.  Erosion  is  a factor  to  be 
considered  in  farming  this  soil,  and  some  damage  has  resulted 
to  the  steeper  slopes  from  washing. 

The  greater  part  of  the  surface  soil  shows  varying  degrees 


GBOUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS 


37 


of  acidity,  the  strongest  acidity  usually  being  where  the  soil 
section  is  the  deepest. 

Native  vegetation.  The  native  timber  consisted  largely  of 
oak,  hickory,  and  maple.  Practically  all  of  the  merchantable 
timber  has  been  removed,  and  the  land  placed  under  cultivation. 

Present  agricultural  development.  Approximately  80  per 
cent  of  this  type  is  being  farmed.  It  is  an  easy  soil  to  cultivate  ; 
it  warms  up  quickly  in  the  spring,  is  well  drained,  and  responds 
readily  to  fertilization.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  deficient  in 
organic  matter,  has  a rather  limited  supply  of  the  mineral  plant 
food  elements  and  is  not  as  retentive  of  moisture  as  the  heavier 
soils.  Average  yields  are  lower  than  Knox  or  Miami  silt  loam. 
The  chief  crops  grown  are  corn,  clover  and  timothy  for  hay, 
rye,  barley,  potatoes,  some  tobacco,  buckwheat,  and  a limited 
amount  of  alfalfa.  A few  apple  orchards  were  seen,  but  fruit 
is  not  raised  on  a commercial  scale. 

Methods  for  the  improvement  of  this,  soil  are  discussed  on 
page  44. 

MIAMI  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  This  soil  is  confined  to  the  northern 
part  of  Rock  County,  and  the  largest  area  occurs  between  Lake 
Koshkonong  and  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  county,  where 
it  joins  a larger  tract  in  Jefferson  County.  A few  other  small 
patches  occur  scattered  about  the  northern  part  of  the  area. 
In  all,  there  are  about  twelve  square  miles  of  this  soil. 

Description.  The  Miami  fine  sandy  loam  consists  of  a light- 
brown  fine  sandy  loam,  low  in  organic  matter,  and  usually  in 
an  acid  condition,  underlain  at  eight  to  ten  inches  by  a brown- 
ish-yellow or  yellow  fine  sandy  loam,  which  gradually  becomes 
heavier  until  a sandy  clay  loam  or  sandy  clay  is  encountered 
at  fifteen  to  twenty-four  inches.  This  continues  to  a depth 
of  three  feet  or  more. 

The  type  as  mapped  is  not  uniform.  In  numerous  small 
areas,  mainly  along  ridge  crests  or  on  steep  slopes  where 
erosion  has  carried  away  the  surface  soil,  the  fine  sandy  loam 
extends  to  a depth  of  only  a few  inches,  and  rests  on  yellow- 
ish sandy  clay,  while  at  the  base  of  slopes,  where  washed-down 
materials  have  been  deposited,  the  light-brown  sandy  layer  ex- 
tends to  depth  of  ten  to  twenty  inches,  passing  into  yellow  fine 


38 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  BOOK  COUNTY 


sandy  loam  which  sometimes  continues  to  a depth  of  three  feet, 
but  usually  gives  way  to  a yellowish  sandy  clay  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  three  foot  section. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  ranges  from  gently 
rolling  to  rolling,  and  the  natural  drainage  is  good,  frequently 
excessive  in  the  most  sandy  places.  On  some  of  the  steeper  slopes 
erosion  becomes  a problem,  and  the  surface  has  in  places  been 
washed  away. 

Present  agricultural  development.  Fully  75  per  cent  of  this 
soil  is  cleared  and  under  cultivation,  and  this  type  has  many 
points  in  its  favor.  It  is  well  drained,  works  easily,  warms  up 
quickly  in  the  spring  and  responds  quickly  to  fertilization. 
Yields,  however,  do  not  average  so  high  as  on  the  loam  and 
silt  loam  types,  due  to  a lower  water  holding  capacity  and  a 
somewhat  smaller  total  supply  of  mineral  plant  food. 

The  crops  grown  are  corn,  clover  and  timothy,  rye,  barley, 
tobacco,  potatoes,  buckwheat,  alfalfa,  beans,  wheat,  and  melons. 
There  are  a few  apple  orchards,  but  the  industry  is  not  devel- 
oped on  a commercial  scale.  Fruit  is  usually  inferior  in  qual- 
ity partly  because  but  little  spraying  is  done. 

While  stable  manure  is  the  chief  fertilizer  applied,  the  use  of 
commercial  fertilizers  has  been  started,  and  phosphate  fertilizers 
especially  have  given  good  results.  Some  liming  has  also  been 
done  with  good  results. 

The  lack  of  sufficient  fertilization,  crop  rotations,  etc.,  has 
caused  a decrease  in  the  productiveness  of  numerous  farms  on 
this  soil,  but  this  condition  can  be  improved  by  following  meth- 
ods for  the  improvement  of  this  soil  as  outlined  on  page  44. 

BOONE  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  The  Boone  fine  sandy  loam  occurs 
largely  on  slopes  below  outcrops  of  the  St.  Peters  sandstone 
in  the  extreme  western  part  of  the  county,  in  Newark,  Avon, 
Spring  Valley,  and  Magnolia  Townships.  The  total  area 
amounts  to  less  than  eight  square  miles. 

Description.  The  Boone  fine  sandy  loam  to  an  average  depth 
of  eight  to  ten  inches,  consists  of  a light-brown  to  brown  fine 
sand  or  fine  sandy  loam,  very  low  in  organic  matter  and  in  an 
acid  condition.  The  subsoil  is  yellow  fine  sandy  loam  which 
becomes  heavier  with  depth  and  gives  way  at  twenty  to  twenty- 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  ANT)  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS  39 

four  inches  to  a yellow  sandy  clay,  the  latter  continuing  to  a 
depth  of  three  feet  or  more.  Fragments  of  sandstone  are  some- 
times present  in  both  soil  and  subsoil.  In  some  places  especially 
near  the  base  of  slopes,  the  surface  soil  is  a light  brown  or  brown 
fine  sand  passing  at  about  ten  inches  into  a yellow  fine  sand, 
which  may  continue  to  twenty-four  to  thirty  inches  before  a 
yellow  fine  sandy  loam  is  encountered.  On  the  slopes,  imme- 
diately below  sandstone  outcrops,  irregular  fragments  of  sand- 
stone are  scattered  over  the  surface  and  mixed  throughout  the 
soil  in  sufficient  quantities  to  hinder  cultivation. 

A sandy  phase  of  this  type  occurs  in  Sections  30,  31  and  32, 
Newark  Township,  and  Section  36,  Avon  Township.  Both  soil 
and  subsoil  are  jnore  sandy  than  typical,  and  only  in  a few 
places  was  sticky  material  found  in  the  subsoil.  In  a few  places, 
small  sand  dunes  have  been  formed  by  the  wind.  This  sandy 
area  would  have  been  mapped  as  Boone  fine  sand  had  it  been  of 
sufficient  extent. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  varies  from  gently 
sloping  to  steep  and  drainage  is  always  sufficient  and  often  ex- 
cessive. On  the  steep  slopes  there  is  considerable  damage 
from  washing,  deep  gullies  having  developed  in  a number  of 
places. 

Present  agricultural  development.  About  30  per  cent  of  the 
type  is  cultivated,  and  the  remainder  is  in  timber  and  perma- 
nent pasture.  In  the  early  season  when  there  is  plenty  of  mois- 
ture the  pasture  is  fair,  but  later  in  summer  during  dry  weather, 
the  grasses  dry  up  and  pasture  is  poor.  Corn,  oats,  rye,  buck- 
wheat and  some  hay  are  grown  but  average  yields  are  rather 
low.  The  soil  is  deficient  in  organic  matter,  and  also  in  the 
mineral  plant  food  elements,  and  requires  special  treatment  to 
secure  best  results.  Methods  suggested  for  its  improvement  are 
given  on  page  44. 

Farms  on  this  land  have  a selling  value  of  $50.00  to  $75.00, 
depending  upon  amount  of  clearing,  the  topography,  location, 
and  improvements. 

WAUKESHA  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  This  type  covers  a total  area  of  a 
little  more  than  half  a township  and  is  one  of  the  important 
prairie  types  of  soil  in  Rock  County.  It  is  found  chiefly  in  La 


40 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


Prairie  and  Pock  Townships.  Smaller  tracts  occur  east  of 
Leyden  in  Janesville  Township  and  along  both  sides  of  Rock 
River  just  north  of  Beloit.  Smaller  patches  occur  near  Evans- 
ville and  at  intervals  along  Turtle  River. 

Description . The  soil  of  the  Waukesha  loam  consists  of  a 
dark-brown  to  black  loam,  high  in  organic  matter,  underlain  at 
10  to  12  inches  by  a dark-brown  sandy  clay  loam  which  takes 
on  a dingy-brown  color  at  about  18  inches  and  passes  at  30 
inches  into  a bed  of  gravelly  sand  which  continues  to  a depth 
of  3 feet  or  more. 

As  mapped  this  type  is  somewhat  variable.  The  surface  soil 
of  included  areas  ranges  from  almost  a sandy  loam  to  a silt 
loam.  The  subsoil  may  be  a sandy  loam,  passing  into  beds  of 
sand  or  gravel  at  12  or  15  inches,  or  it  may  be  a dark-brown 
loam  or  heavy  sandy  loam  to  a depth  of  3 feet  or  more.  In 
La  Prairie  and  Rock  Towmships  much  of  the  type  is  heavier 
approaching  a silt  loam,  and  patches  of  Waukesha  silt  loam 
are  included.  In  places  these  inclusions  are  so  numerous  that 
it  is  difficult  to  determine  whether  the  loam  or  silt  loam  is  the 
predominating  type. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  this  soil  is  level 
to  gently  undulating,  except  along  terrace  escarpments  where 
there  is  frequently  a zone  of  from  100  to  400  feet  wide  where 
the  surface  is  steep  and  broken.  Many  of  these  escarpments 
are  very  gravelly  and  have  been  mapped  as  Waukesha  gravelly 
loam.  Others  have  a sufficient  covering  of  soil  over  the  gravel 
so  that  they  cannot  well  be  classed  as  a gravelly  loam  type. 
The  differences  in  elevation  between  terraces  range  from  ten 
to  fifty  feet  and  more. 

Over  all  of  this  soil  drainage  is  well  established  and  over 
much  of  the  type  it  is  inclined  to  be  excessive,  especially  where 
beds  of  sand  and  gravel  are  within  eighteen  inches  of  the 
surface. 

Native  vegetation.  This  is  a prairie  soil  and  the  original 
vegetation  consisted  largely  of  prairie  grasses.  Some  timber 
was  found  along  the  Rock  River  and  other  streams  and  border- 
ing some  of  the  upland  soils,  but  by  far  the  greater  part  of  it 
was  treeless. 

Present  agricultural  development.  Next  to  the  Waukesha 
silt  loam,  this  is  the  most  extensive  of  the  valley-fill  and  terrace 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS 


41 


types.  Almost  all  of  it  is  under  cultivation,  devoted  to  gen- 
eral farming  in  conjunction  with  dairying.  Corn  is  the  prin- 
cipal crop,  and  oats  the  second  most  important  crop.  Barley, 
rye,  Irish  potatoes,  buckwheat,  hay,  sugar  beets  and  tobacco 
are  successfully  grown. 

Waukesha  loam , sandy  phase.  The  surface  soil  of  the  Wau- 
kesha loam,  sandy  phase,  consists  of  a dark-brown  to  almost 
black  fine  sandy  loam,  comparatively  high  in  organic  matter, 
and  very  acid  according  to  litmus  tests.  It  is  underlain  at  about 
twelve  inches  by  a dingy-brown,  fine  sandy  loam  which  grades 
downward  into  a brownish-yellow  sandy  clay  loam.  At  twenty- 
four  to  thirty  inches  stratified  beds  of  gravel  and  sand  are  en- 
countered. 

This  phase  is  inextensive,  being  confined  to  the  valley-fill 
area  northeast  of  Beloit.  The  surface  is  gently  undulating,  but 
the  drainage  is  usually  excessive.  About  the  same  crops  are 
grown,  and  similar  yields  are  obtained,  as  on  the  Waukesha 
sandy  loam,  but  the  soil  is  considerably  heavier  than  that  type. 
The  methods  of  improvement  are  similar  to  those  suggested  for 
the  typical  Waukesha  loam. 

For  a discussion  of  the  chemical  composition  of  this  soil  and 
methods  for  its  improvement,  see  page  44. 

CARRINGTON  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  Carrington  loam  is  found  most  ex- 
tensively in  Beloit  and  Newark  Townships;  though  a few  scat- 
tering areas  are  also  found  in  most  of  the  townships  in  the  west 
half  of  the  county.  The  largest  continuous  areas  which  are  in 
the  town  of  Beloit  cover  3y2  square  miles. 

Description.  The  soil  of  the  Carrington  loam  is  dark-brown 
to  almost  black,  friable  loam,  3 to  12  inches  deep,  comparatively 
high  in  organic  matter.  The  upper  subsoil  is  a dingy-brown 
loam  to  light  clay  loam,  passing  at  about  17  inches  into  a 
yellowish-brown  sandy  clay,  the  latter  continuing  to  a depth 
of  36  inches  or  more.  Considerable  gravel  is  present  in  both 
soil  and  subsoil  and  bowlders  are  common.  In  many  places  the 
underlying  limestone  is  encountered  in  the  3-foot  section  and  in 
such  situations  a gritty  red  clay  carrying  fragments  of  weath- 
ered limestone,  overlies  the  rock.  There  are  many  small  inclu- 
sions of  Carrington  fine  sandy  loam  and  silt  loam,  and  in  places 


42 


SOIL  SUBVEY  OF  BOCK  COUNTY 


the  fine  sandy  loam  areas  are  so  numerous  that  it  is  difficult  to 
determine  the  predominating  type.  On  some  of  the  steep  slopes 
the  surface  soil  has  been  removed  by  erosion  and  the  sandy 
clay  loam  or  sandy  clay  subsoil  is  exposed.  Where  this  type 
borders  the  Miami  soils  it  is  lighter  in  color  than  typical. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  this  type  is  for 
the  most  part  gently  rolling  with  some  included  tracts  which 
are  rolling.  Modern  farm  machinery  can  be  used  to  good 
advantage  on  practically  all  of  the  type  and  the  natural  sur- 
face and  under  drainage  is  excellent.  Where  the  rock  comes 
close  to  the  surface  the  soils  are  somewhat  draughty.  On  some 
of  the  steeper  slopes,  gullies  have  been  formed,  but  with  proper 
caution  in  cultivation  and  crop  selection,  these  can  be  pre- 
vented. There  are  no  marshes  in  the  region  where  this  soil 
occurs. 

Native  vegetation.  This  type  is  a prairie  soil,  and  the  most 
extensive  native  vegetation  was  prairie  grass.  In  places  there 
was  a scattered  tree  growth,  but  never  enough  to  class  this  as 
a timbered  soil. 

Present  agricultural  development.  Probably  80  per  cent  of 
this  type  is  cultivated.  The  remainder  supports  a growth  of 
prairie  grasses,  and  is  used  for  permanent  pasture.  General 
farming  in  conjunction  with  dairying  is  the  chief  type  of  agri- 
culture, with  oats,  corn,  barley  and  hay  as  the  leading  crops. 
Tobacco  is  the  only  special  crop  grown. 

The  acid  condition  of  the  soil  often  prevents  the  growing  of 
clover  and  alfalfa.  As  a whole,  the  methods  followed  are  very 
similar  to  those  practiced  on  Carrington  silt  loam  under  which 
type  description  a fuller  discussion  will  be  found. 

For  a discussion  of  the  chemical  composition  and  methods  for 
the  improvement  of  this  soil,  see  page  44. 

CARRINGTON  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  Except  for  a few  small  areas  in 
the  town  of  Fulton  and  a limited  area  west  of  Evansville,  the 
Carrington  fine  sandy  loam  is  confined  to  the  southwestern 
part  of  the  county.  The  largest  unbroken  area  is  in  the  town  of 
Beloit  with  other  important  tracts  in  the  northern  part  of 
Newark  and  less  important  patches  in  several  of  the  adjoin- 
ing towns. 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS 


43 


Description.  The  Carrington  fine  sandy  loam,  to  a depth  of 
about  10  inches  is  a dark-brown  to  almost  black  fine  sandy  loam, 
high  in  organic  matter.  A small  quantity  of  gravel  and  some- 
times limestone  and  chert  fragments  are  scattered  over  the 
surface  and  mixed  with  the  soil.  Litmus  paper  tests  indicate 
that  the  soil  is  in  an  acid  condition.  The  upper  subsoil  is  usu- 
ally a yellowish  brown  fine  sandy  loam,  grading  at  16  to  20 
inches  into  a sandy  clay  loam  or  sandy  clay,  which  often  ex- 
tends to  a depth  of  3 feet  or  more.  In  many  places,  however, 
the  underlying  limestone  is  within  the  3 foot  section  and  from 
4 to  6 inches  of  reddish-brown,  rather  plastic  sandy  clay,  con- 
taining particles  of  decomposed  limestone,  usually  overlies 
the  rock. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  this  type  ranges 
from  gently  rolling  to  rolling,  with  most  of  it  being  rather 
rolling.  The  slopes  are  not  steep,  however,  and  modern  farm 
machinery  can  be  used  on  practically  all  of  it.  Because  of  the 
loose  porous  nature  of  the  subsoil  and  the  broken  character  of  the 
underlying  rock  the  natural  drainage  is  excellent.  On  the  lighter 
portions  of  the  type,  the  drainage  is  somewhat  excessive.  This 
condition  also  prevails  where  the  limestone  is  found  near  the 
surface. 

Natural  vegetation.  This  is  also  a prairie  soil,  and  the  nat- 
ural vegetation  included  only  a few  scattering  trees.  The  chief 
growth  was  prairie  grasses. 

Present  agricultural  development.  About  80  per  cent  of  this 
type  is  under  cultivation  and  devoted  to  general  farming.  It 
is  considered  a fair  soil  and  easy  to  work,  but  is  not  equal  in 
productiveness  to  the  Carrington  silt  loam.  The  general  farm 
crops  common  to  the  regions  are  grown,  and  tobacco  is  also 
raised  to  some  extent.  The  heavier  phases  of  the  type  are  espe- 
cially well  suited  to  tobacco.  Potatoes  are  also  grown  more  ex- 
tensively than  on  the  heavier  soils  of  the  county.  In  general 
it  may  be  said  that  the  same  methods  of  farming  are  followed 
as  on  the  silt  loam  type.  Land  values  range  from  $75  to  $150 
per  acre,  depending  upon  location,  improvement,  depth  of  soil, 
etc.  The  acid  condition  of  the  soil  is  frequently  the  cause  of 
failure  with  clover  and  sometimes  prevents  the  growth  of  alfalfa. 

Methods  for  the  improvement  of  this  soil  are  discussed  on 
page  44. 


44 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  AND  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LOAMS  AND 
FINE  SANDY  LOAMS. 

In  this  group  of  soils  there  are  ten  separate  types  all  of  which 
are  of  minor  importance  individually  but  collectively  the  group 
is  important  since  it  covers  a total  area  of  80,844  acres  or  about 
18  per  cent  of  Rock  County.  These  soils  are  somewhat  lighter 
in  texture  than  the  silt  loams  but  where  general  farming  is  car- 
ried on  practically  the  same  methods  of  improvement  can  be 
followed  as  outlined  for  the  silt  loam  soils  on  pages  26-30. 

While  there  is  some  variation  in  the  texture,  structure  and 
color  of  the  types  of  soil  in  this  group  there  is  a sufficient  simi- 
larity so  that  general  methods  of  improvements  discussed  here 
will  apply  to  the  entire  group. 

Tests  and  observations  which  have  been  made  on  these 
soils  indicate  that  practically  all  of  the  types  are  in  need  of 
lime.  The  dark  colored  prairie  soils  show  a greater  need  than 
the  light  colored  soils.  There  are  a few  exceptions  to  this  need 
and  these  are  found  where  the  underlying  limestone  comes  close 
to  the  surface  as  it  does  in  a few  places  in  the  western  part  of 
the  county.  Frequently,  however,  the  soil  will  be  in  an  acid 
condition  even  when  the  limestone  is  within  one  foot  of  the 
surface. 

The  supply  of  organic  matter  in  the  dark  colored  types  such 
as  the  Waukesha  and  Carrington  loams  and  Carrington  fine 
sandy  loam  is  somewhat  greater  than  the  light  colored  types  but 
in  older  cultivated  soils  this  organic  matter  is  in  an  inactive 
form  so  that  the  introduction  of  decaying  vegetable  matter  will 
greatly  aid  in  the  improvement  of  these  types  regardless  of  color. 

The  supply  of  phosphorus  in  these  loams  and  fine  sandy  loams 
is  lower  than  in  the  heavier  types  and  these  soils  show  a marked 
deficiency  in  this  element.  The  actual  number  of  pounds  of 
phosphorus  which  these  soils  contain,  however,  is  not  a true 
index  of  the  actual  need  of  this  element.  Some  of  the  soils 
which  show  a small  total  amount  do  not  respond  as  well  to  an 
application  of  the  phosphorus  fertilizer  as  do  the  types  which 
have  a large  amount  present  so  that  the  behavior  of  the  crop  is 
a more  important  indication  of  the  need  of  phosphorus  than 
the  chemical  analysis. 

Regarding  the  supply  of  potassium  in  the  soil  the  total  amount 
is  approximately  25,000  pounds  per  acre  or  fully  20  times  as 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  AND  GRAVELLY  SOILS 


45 


much  as  the  supply  of  phosphorus.  Where  general  farming 
is  conducted  and  where  there  is  maintained  a good  supply  of 
vegetable  matter  in  the  soil  this  will  doubtless  be  sufficient. 
Where  special  crops  are  raised  which  require  a large  amount  of 
potassium  this  element  may  be  supplied  to  advantage  in  the 
form  of  a commercial  fertilizer. 

The  principal  characteristics  of  these  types  is  that  they  hold 
somewhat  less  water  than  heavier  soils  do  and  they  warm  up 
more  quickly  in  the  spring.  This  together  with  the  readiness 
with  which  they  can  be  worked  adapts  them  to  truck  and  spe- 
cial crops,  the  growing  of  which  requires  more  hand  labor  than 
is  involved  in  the  growing  of  staple  crops.  It  is  necessary  to 
give  them  somewhat  more  attention  to  maintain  fertility  partly 
because  of  the  fact  that  they  are  lower  in  fertility  than  th.e 
heavier  soils  but  more  because  of  the  fact  that  these  special  crops 
require  a higher  degree  of  fertility  to  produce  satisfactory 
yields.  When  these  soils  are  used  for  the  production  of  special 
crops  their  fertility  can  be  maintained  either  through  the  use 
of  rather  heavy  applications  of  stable  manure  or  through  the 
use  of  a rotation  in  which  a legume  is  grown  as  the  means  of 
securing  the  necessary  nitrogen  and  organic  matter  while  the 
other  elements,  chiefly  phosphorus  and  potassium,  are  supplied 
in  commercial  fertilizers.  When  this  latter  system  is  followed 
one-third  or  one-fourth  of  the  land  should  be  sown  to  a legume 
such  as  clover  or  soy  beans  which  have  large  powers  of  gather- 
ing nitrogen  from  the  air,  and  a part  of  the  phosphorus  and 
potassium  should  be  used  for  the  growth  of  different  green 
manuring  crops.  The  fertility  used  in  this  way  will  become 
available  for  the  succeeding  crops  through  the  decomposition 
of  the  legume  when  plowed  under  and  the  remainder  of  the  fer- 
tilizer to  be  used  should  be  applied  on  this  ground  at  the  time 
of  fitting  it  for  the  succeeding  crops. 


4(i 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GROUP  OF  SANDY  AND  GRAVELLY  SOILS. 

MIAMI  GRAVELLY  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  The  Miami  gravelly  loam  is  con- 
fined to  the  north  half  of  the  county,  and  is  well  distributed 
throughout  the  region  covered  by  the  late  Wisconsin  drift.  The 
most  continuous  area  occurs  west  and  southwest  from  Evans- 
ville, and  is  nearly  seven  miles  long  and  from  one-fourth  to 
one-half  mile  wide.  There  is  a large  number  of  very  small 
areas  of  this  type. 

Description.  The  Miami  gravelly  loam  to  a depth  of  six  to 
ten  inches  is  a light-brown  to  brown  loam,  carrying  considerable 
gravel.  The  subsoil  is  a yellowish-brown  to  reddish-brown, 
friable  gravelly  loam  or  gravelly  clay  loam.  Many  small  areas 
of  gravelly  fine  sandy  loam,  fine  sandy  loam,  loam,  and  silt  loam 
are  included  with  the  Miami  gravelly  loam.  North  of  Johns- 
town and  Johnstown  Center  the  inclusions  of  Miami  silt  loam 
are  so  numerous  that  it  is  difficult  to  determine  whether  it  or 
the  gravelly  loam  is  the  predominating  type.  Beds  of  gravel 
frequently  occur  in  the  deep  subsoil. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  varies  from  gently 
rolling  to  broken  and  hilly,  with  numerous  hummocks,  kettle 
basins,  and  ridges.  Except  in  the  depressions  the  natural  drain- 
age is  very  good  and  often  excessive.  The  surface  is  such  that 
practically  all  of  the  modern  farm  machinery  can  be  used.  A 
possible  exception  would  be  bordering  kettle  holes  which  are  all 
of  small  individual  extent. 

Native  vegetation.  The  original  timber  consisted  chiefly  of 
oak,  hickory,  and  maple,  but  most  of  the  merchantable  timber 
has  been  removed. 

Present  agricultural  development.  About  20  per  cent  of  the 
Miami  gravelly  loam  is  under  cultivation  and  utilized  for  grow- 
ing of  corn,  oats,  rye,  and  clover.  In  1919  there  were  2,002 
acres  of  alfalfa  in  the  county,  and  a large  part  of  it  is  produced 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  AND  GRAVELLY  SOILS 


47 


on  this  type  of  soil.  Crop  yields  are  about  the  same  as  on 
Miami  fine  sandy  loam. 

The  portion  of  the  type  not  cleared  is  utilized  chiefly  for  pas- 
ture, and  on  account  of  the  rolling  nature  of  much  of  the  type, 
it  is  best  suited  to  permanent  pasture.  This  will  prevent  serious 
erosion. 

Chemical  composition  and  improvement.  The  Miami  grav- 
elly loam  is  somewhat  variable  but  corresponds  quite  closely 
with  the  Miami  loam  and  Miami  silt  loam  in  its  chemical  com- 
position. It  differs  from  these  types  chiefly  in  the  presence  of 
gravel  mixed  with  a subsoil  which  is  usually  more  open  and 
porous.  Its  topography  is  also  somewhat  more  broken  so  that 
the  natural  drainage  is  in  all  cases  excellent.  The  gravel  oc- 
curing  with  the  type  is  almost  entirely  limestone  gravel,  and 
the  type  as  a whole  contains  more  lime  than  any  of  the  other 
types  of  this  series. 

The  supply  of  nitrogen  in  this  soil  is  rather  low  and  the 
supply  of  phosphorous  is  only  fair.  The  potassium  supply  is 
sufficient  for  all  of  the  ordinary  farm  crops. 

In  the  improvement  of  this  soil  it  is  important  that  organic 
matter  should  be  supplied  and  that  the  phosphorous  content 
of  the  soil  should  be  increased.  Because  of  the  high  lime  con- 
tent, especially  of  the  subsoil,  this  type  is  especially  adapted  to 
alfalfa,  and  by  growing  this  legume,  a large  amount  of  organic 
matter  can  be  readily  secured.  This  soil,  as  a matter  of  fact, 
is  probably  better  suited  to  alfalfa  than  any  of  the  other  types 
in  the  county.  Alfalfa,  however,  is  a strong  feeder  on  phos- 
phorous, and  even  though  there  should  be  available  a good 
supply  of  stable  manure,  this  should  be  supplemented  by  a 
phosphate  fertilizer.  Acid  phosphate  gives  excellent  results  and 
may  be  applied  along  with  manure  or  it  can  be  applied  with  a 
fertilizer  attachment  to  a grain  drill  at  the  time  that  the  small 
grain  is  seeded.  About  300  pounds  (16  per  cent)  per  acre  is 
a good  application. 

As  this  type  is  quite  rolling  in  places,  it  is  frequently  sub- 
ject to  erosion,  and  it  is  therefore  desirable  to  keep  the  surface 
covered  with  a growing  crop  as  much  as  possible.  When  alfalfa 
is  being  grown,  it  is  well,  therefore,  to  keep  it  as  long  as  a good 
stand  can  be  maintained.  On  breaking  up  alfalfa  corn  can  be 
grown  for  one  year  followed  by  a small  grain,  after  which  the 
field  may  again  be  seeded  to  alfalfa. 


48 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


RODMAN  GRAVELLY  LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Rodman  gravelly  loam,  extending  to 
an  average  depth  of  about  ten  inches,  is  a brown  gravelly  sandy 
loam,  passing  through  a brownish-yellow  gravelly-  sand  loam 
which  at  about  fifteen  inches  becomes  more  yellowish.  Below 
this  the  gravel  content  rapidly  increases.  Stratified  beds  of 
gravel  and  sand  are  commonly  encountered  in  the  three  foot 
section,  and  below  this  is  usually  a mass  of  stratified  gravel  and 
sand  of  undetermined  depth. 

This  type  is  of  limited  extent  and  occurs  only  in  Janesville 
Township,  on  the  steep  terrace  escarpment  along  the  east  side 
of  Rock  River.  The  drainage  is  excessive,  and  the  type  is  not 
under  cultivation. 

This  type  is  quite  similar  to  the  Miami  gravelly  loam  in  the 
general  character  of  its  soil  section,  except  that  the  depth  to 
the  underlying  beds  of  gravel  is  less  in  this  type.  It  is,  there- 
fore, more  droughty.  It  also  has  a rough  surface,  and  is  ex- 
tremely bumpy  and  irregular  in  topography.  Its  general  com- 
position is  very  similar  to  the  Miami  gravelly  loam.  This  type 
can  best  be  utilized  for  grazing  since  most  of  it  is  too  steep  to 
be  used  for  cultivated  crops.  It  supplies  good  pasture  in  the 
spring  and  early  summer,  but  this  usually  dries  up  in  mid- 
summer unless  there  is  a well-distributed  rainfall.  This  land 
should  be  kept  in  permanent  pasture. 

CARRINGTON  GRAVELLY  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  The  Carrington  gravelly  loam  is 
confined  to  a number  of  small  areas  scattered  throughout  the 
larger  areas  of  the  Carrington  soils  west  of  Rock  River  and  in 
Milton  and  Fulton  Townships.  The  largest  area  of  about  one- 
half  square  mile  is  east  of  Footville  in  Plymouth  Township. 

Description.  The  Carrington  gravelly  loam  to  a depth  of 
about  seven  inches  is  a dark-brown,  gravelly  sandy  loam,  high 
in  organic  matter.  This  is  underlain  by  a yellowish-brown, 
gravelly  sandy  loam,  which  becomes  heavier  with  increase  in 
depth,  until  a gravelly  sandy  clay  is  encountered  at  about 
twenty-four  inches.  This  often  continues  to  a depth  of  three 
feet  or  more.  Crystalline  bowlders  are  common,  both  on  the 
surface  and  in  the  subsoil,  and  in  many  places,  especially  on 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


Plate  III 


SOIL  SECTION  IN  WAUKESHA  SILT  LOAM. 

Showing  beds  of  stratified  gravel  lying  below  about  three  feet  of  very  silty 
material,  which  forms  the  surface  soil  and  subsoil. 


VIEW  ON  CARRINGTON  SILT  LOAM. 


This  view  shows  the  typical  surface  features  on  the  level  prairie  land 
mapped  as  Carrington  silt  loam.  The  level  areas  are  also  typical  of  the 
Waukesha  silt  loam. 


Wisconsin  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survey. 


Plate  IV 


VIEW  OF  RODMAN  GRAVELLY  LOAM. 

The  rough,  broken  areas  of  this  soil  are  best  suited  to  grazing  and  forestry. 


300  lbs.  acid  phosphate  No  treatment 

Yield  87  bushels  Yield  69.5  bushels. 

Oats  on  black  prairie  land  at  Dodgeville,  Wis.,  1918.  The  prairie  lands  of 
Rock  County  respond  in  a similar  way  to  the  use  of  phosphate  fertilizers. 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  AND  GRAVELLY  SOILS 


49 


kames  and  eskers,  stratified  beds  of  gravel  and  sand  are  en- 
countered in  the  three-foot  section.  In  such  cases  the  surface 
soil  of  gravelly  sandy  loam  passes  at  about  seven  inches  into 
yellowish-brown  gravelly  sandy  loam,  which  grades  downward 
into  the  beds  of  gravel  and  sand.  Most  of  the  gravel  is  lime- 
stone. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  is  ridgy  and  very 
broken.  Where  the  type  occurs  in  the  region  of  the  late  Wis- 
consin drift  near  Fulton,  it  contains  numerous  kettle  basins, 
but  the  areas  in  the  pre- Wisconsin  drift  are  thoroughly  drained 
by  streams.  Much  of  the  type  is  found  as  kames  and  eskers 
which  belong  to  either  the  late  Wisconsin  or  the  pre-Wisconsin 
drifts.  The  drainage  is  everywhere  sufficient,  and  in  many 
places  excessive. 

Present  agricultural  development.  The  type  is  of  little  im- 
portance, only  about  20  per  cent  of  it  being  under  cultivation. 
The  remainder  is  in  permanent  pasture.  The  chief  crops  grown 
are  corn,  oats,  barley  and  hay.  Yields  are  fair  but  somewhat 
lower  than  on  the  fine  sandy  loam.  The  surface  soil  is  acid 
in  most  places  and  liming  is  necessary  for  the  best  success  with 
clover  and  alfalfa. 

WAUKESHA  GRAVELLY  LOAM. 

The  surface  soil  of  the  Waukesha  gravelly  loam  is  a dark- 
brown  to  almost  black,  gravelly  sandy  loam,  8 to  12  inches 
deep.  The  subsoil  is  a brownish  gravelly  sandy  loam,  becom- 
ing brownish  yellow  at  about  16  inches.  At  20  to  30  inches  beds 
of  stratified  sand  and  gravel  are  encountered.  As  mapped,  the 
type  includes  some  small  areas  of  gravelly  loam. 

The  Waukesha  gravelly  loam  occupies  steep  valley  slopes 
along  Turtle  Creek,  Rock  River  and  numerous  tributaries  which 
have  cut  their  way  back  into  the  areas  of  valley  fill.  The  drain- 
age is  excessive  and  the  type  has  no  agricultural  use  except 
as  permanent  pasture. 

CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  AND  IMPROVEMENT  OF  CARRINGTON  AND 
WAUKESHA  GRAVELLY  LOAMS. 

Since  the  soil  of  these  types  is  extremely  gravelly  in  its  charac- 
ter, has  a steep  surface,  and  therefore  unsuited  to  a large  degree 
for  the  growing  of  cultivated  crops,  it  will  probably  not  be  advis- 


50 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


able  to  attempt  to  improve  it  as  is  the  case  with  other  types.  It  is 
utilized  at  present  to  a certain  extent  for  grazing,  and  this  is 
doubtless  the  best  practice  to  follow  upon  it.  During  the  spring 
and  early  summer  when  there  is  a large  amount  of  moisture 
present,  it  supplies  fair  pasture,  but  later  in  the  season  the 
grass  dries  up.  In  many  places  the  steep  slopes  would  in  them- 
selves prevent  the  growing  of  cultivated  crops.  The  type  may 
be  considered  as  being  of  low  agricultural  value,  and  as  it  is 
of  limited  extent,  it  is  of  minor  importance.  Where  small  tracts 
of  Waukesha  loam  are  included  their  improvement  may  be  di- 
rected along  lines  suggested  for  that  type. 

PLAINFIELD  FINE  SAND. 

This  soil  is  of  limited  extent  and  of  minor  importance  in 
Rock  County.  Its  total  area  does  not  exceed  1,000  acres,  and 
it  is  found  in  a few  small  tracts  in  Milton  Township  and  along 
Taylor  Creek  and  Sugar  River,  in  Spring  Valley,  and  Avon 
Townships. 

The  surface  soil  to  a depth  of  eight  inches  consists  of  a light 
brown  fine  sand  which  contains  only  a small  amount  of  organic 
matter.  This  is  underlain  by  a yellowish  fine  sand  which  ex- 
tends to  a depth  of  three  feet  or  more.  Part  of  the  type  which 
occurs  in  Spring  Valley  and  Avon  Townships  is  somewhat 
coarser  in  texture  than  typical  but  there  is  not  a sufficient 
amount  of  this  to  warrant  mapping  another  type.  Gravel  is 
sometimes  found  in  the  subsoil. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  is  flat  to  very  gently  undulating,  and 
the  natural  drainage  is  excessive.  The  soil  is  inclined  to  be 
droughty  although  the  water  table  comes  closer  to  the  surface 
than  in  the  upland  soils. 

Approximately  40  per  cent  of  this  soil  is  cleared  and  under 
cultivation.  The  remainder  is  in  brush,  and  second  growth 
timber,  and  is  used  to  some  extent  for  pasture.  Most  crops 
common  to  the  region  are  grown  but  average  yields  are  low. 
The  soil  is  deficient  in  organic  matter  as  well  as  in  the  mineral 
plant  food  elements.  The  texture  of  the  soil  is  such,  however, 
that  its  productivity  can  be  successfully  improved. 

To  improve  this  type  legumes  should  be  grown,  and  to  suc- 
ceed with  these  it  may  be  necessary  to  use  commercial  fer- 
tilizers. For  this  purpose  a mixed  fertilizer  will  be  best,  and  a 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  AND  GRAVELLY  SOILS 


51 


2-10-4  will  be  well  suited  to  this  sandy  soil.  About  200  or  300 
pounds  per  acre  should  be  used.  When  clover  is  well  estab- 
lished, a second  crop  may  be  plowed  under  to  supply  the 
needed  organic  matter.  Where  acid,  the  soil  should  be  limed 
before  best  results  can  be  expected  from  the  mixed  fertilizers. 
The  use  of  lime  will  help  to  insure  the  success  of  clover.  By 
following  a short  rotation  in  which  a legume  is  grown  and  a 
part  of  it  plowed  under,  and  by  supplying  the  mineral  plant 
food  elements  through  commercial  fertilizers,  very  good  crops 
may  be  secured.  A rotation  consisting  of  clover,  corn  or  po- 
tatoes followed  by  a small  grain  is  well  suited  to  this  soil. 

WAUKESHA  SANDY  LOAMS. 

The  total  area  of  this  soil  does  not  exceed  five  and  one-half 
square  miles.  It  is  found  chiefly  in  Beloit  and  Rock  Townships 
on  terraces  bordering  Rock  River.  It  also  occurs  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  county  as  a terrace  along  Sugar  River. 

The  Waukesha  sandy  loam  to  an  average  depth  of  about 
eleven  to  thirteen  inches  consists  of  a dark-brown  to  almost 
black  sandy  loam  underlain  at  about  sixteen  to  twenty  inches 
by  a brownish-yellow  sandy  clay  loam.  This  becomes  lighter 
in  texture  with  increasing  depth  until  a yellowish  sandy  loam 
is  encountered  at  about  twenty-eight  inches,  grading  quickly 
into  a gravelly  loamy  sand,  and  at  about  thirty-six  inches  into 
stratified  beds  of  gravel  and  sand.  Litmus  paper  tests  indicate 
that  the  surface  soil  is  acid. 

As  mapped,  this  type  is  somewhat  variable.  The  surface  soil 
of  included  areas  ranges  from  sand  to  loam.  The  stratified  beds 
of  gravel  and  sand  are  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  surface  in 
some  places,  while  in  others  they  are  not  encountered  in  the 
three-foot  section. 

The  surface  of  this  type  is  level  to  undulating  and  the  nat- 
ural drainage  is  good,  and  because  of  the  coarse  open  nature 
of  the  lower  subsoil,  it  is  frequently  excessively  drained  and 
becomes  droughty. 

The  type  was  orginally  prairie  and  did  not  support  a growth 
of  timber.  Prairie  grasses  made  up  the  native  vegetation. 

Practically  all  of  this  type  is  devoted  to  general  farming  in 
conjunction  with  dairying.  Potatoes  are  grown  more  exten- 
sively than  on  the  heavier  soils  and  fair  yields  are  usually  se- 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


cured.  Yields  of  general  farm  crops  are  somewhat  lower  than 
on  the  Waukesha  loam  and  silt  loam  and  the  type  is  of  lower 
agricultural  value. 

Methods  followed  are  practically  the  same  as  on  Waukesha 
loam  but  are  not  those  best  suited  to  the  building  up  of  the 
fertility  of  this  type.  The  best  methods  for  the  improvement 
of  this  kind  of  soil  are  discussed  below. 

WAUKESHA  SAND. 

This  type  covers  a total  area  of  about  three  square  miles  and 
is  confined  almost  entirely  to  the  terrace  along  the  north  side 
of  Sugar  River  between  Brodhead  and  Avon  in  Avon  Township. 

The  surface  soil  is  a dark  brown  loamy  sand  fourteen  inches 
deep  grading  into  a yellowish-brown  loamy  sand  which  at  about 
twenty-four  inches  becomes  more  of  a yellow  color,  and  is  loose 
and  open  in  structure. 

The  surface  is  level  or  very  gently  undulating  and  the  nat- 
ural drainage  is  excessive,  this  type  suffering  from  drought 
every  season.  Some  of  the  surface  irregularities  appear  to  be 
due  to  wind  action.  Along  fences  there  are  frequently  low 
drifts  of  sand.  North  of  Avon  there  is  a small  area  occupying 
a slope  below  outcrops  of  sandstone.  This  is  probably  not  of 
alluvial  origin.  The  soil  is  mostly  of  alluvial  origin,  and  was 
deposited  by  the  streams  when  the  waters  were  much  higher 
than  at  present,  probably  during  glacial  time.  Much  of  the 
material  originally  came  from  sandstone,  and  is  now  in  an 
acid  condition. 

This  is  a prairie  or  semi-prairie  type,  there  having  been  but 
very  little  scattering  timber  upon  it.  About  75  per  cent  of  it 
is  now  being  cultivated.  It  is  devoted  to  general  farming,  but 
owing  to  its  droughty  nature  and  low  content  of  plant  food, 
average  yields  are  low.  The  supply  of  organic  matter  is  lim- 
ited, and  the  methods  of  farming  followed  upon  it  are  not  such 
as  tend  to  increase  the  supply  of  humus. 

CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  AND  IMPROVEMENT.  OF  WAUKESHA  SANDY 
LOAM  AND  WAUKESHA  SAND. 

These  soils  are  quite  similar  and  may  be  discussed  together. 
The  sandy  loam  covers  a total  area  of  nearly  13,000  acres  while 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  AND  GRAVELLY  SOILS 


there  are  less  than  2,500  acres  of  the  sand.  The  sandy  loam  con- 
tains more  clay  and  is  a somewhat  better  soil  than  the  sand. 

The  nitrogen  supply  is  only  a little  more  than  half  that  found 
in  Waukesha  silt  loam  and  the  phosphorus  is  also  lower  than 
in  the  heavier  types.  The  potassium  is  about  two-thirds  that 
in  the  silt  loam.  Analyses  of  Waukesha  sand  in  other  areas 
indicate  that  its  supply  of  plant  food  is  lower  than  that  of  the 
sandy  loam.  It  will  be  noticed,  however,  that  the  plant  food 
content  of  these  dark  colored  sands  is  higher  than  that  of  the 
light  colored,  light  texture  soils. 

In  the  improvement  of  these  soils  the  first  step  is  to  supply 
the  lime  which  is  needed.  This  will  require  from  2 to  3 tons 
of  ground  limestone  per  acre.  This  should  be  applied  to  a 
plowed  field  and  disked  or  harrowed  into  the  soil  to  insure  thor- 
ough mixing  and  an  intimate  contact  between  the  soil  grains 
and  the  limestone. 

The  management  of  these  soils  to  maintain  the  fertility  will 
depend  to  a considerable  extent  on  the  crops  grown  and  on 
whether  or  not  stock  is  maintained  to  which  the  produce  of  the 
farm  is  fed.  When  dairying  or  other  live  stock  farming  is 
practiced  it  will  be  less  difficult  to  maintain  the  supply  of  the 
essential  elements  of  plant  food — phosphorus,  potassium  and 
nitrogen.  But  even  when  stock  is  maintained  it  is  very  probable 
that  the  moderate  use  of  some  form  of  phosphorus  fertilizers 
will  be  found  profitable,  and  some  means  for  increasing  the 
organic  matter  in  addition  to  the  use  of  stable  manure  should 
be  made  use  of  as  far  as  practicable.  The  growth  of  a crop  of 
soy  beans  or  clover,  occasionally,  to  be  plowed  under  as  a green 
manuring  crop,  will  be  found  very  profitable  in  its  effect  on  the 
succeeding  crop  of  corn  or  grain. 

When  these  soils  are  used  for  the  growing  of  potatoes  or  other 
special  crops  to  a considerable  extent  the  use  of  commercial 
fertilizers  containing  phosphorus  and  potassium  will  be  found 
necessary  to  maintain  the  soil  productivity.  Clover  or  some 
other  legume  must  be  grown  regularly  in  the  rotation  to  main- 
tain the  nitrogen  and  organic  matter,  and  part  or  all  of  this 
should  be  plowed  under.  It  is  often  desirable  to  use  the  com- 
mercial fertilizers  containing  phosphorus  and  potassium  in 
order  to  secure  a good  growth  of  clover  and  there  is  little  loss 
in  so  doing,  since  essentially  all  of  the  phosphorus  and  potas- 


54 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


sium  applied  to  the  soil  for  the  clover  becomes  available  to  the 
succeeding  crop  through  the  decomposition  of  the  organic 
matter. 

While  the  use  of  commercial  fertilizers  containing  phosphorus 
and  potassium  is  desirable  in  the  management  of  these  soils  it 
must  not  be  considered  that  this  is  an  indication  that  they  have 
less  value  than  heavier  soils  which  are  relatively  higher  in  these 
elements,  for  the  growth  of  potatoes  and  other  special  crops. 
The  fact  that  these  soils  become  dry  and  warm  early  in  the 
season  makes  them  less  subject  to  local  frosts  and  the  finer  tilth 
which  they  develop  fit  them  especially  well  for  the  growth  of 
potatoes  and  some  other  root  crops,  since  they  are  practically 
free  from  checking  and  cracking.  The  cost  of  the  fertilizers  is 
a comparatively  small  part  of  the  total  cost  of  growing  these 
crops.  Sandy  loam  soil  is  well  adapted  to  the  commercial 
growing  of  potatoes,  and  wThenever  possible  the  sandy  loams 
should  be  selected  for  this  crop  in  preference  to  sand  types. 
A good  rotation  for  the  sandy  loam  soils  consists  of  small  grain, 
clover,  potatoes  or  corn.  For  further  suggestions  on  the  man- 
agement of  these  soils  and  for  information  regarding  source 
and  use  of  fertilizers  consult  Bulletins  204,  230  and  341  of  the 
Experiment  Station. 


GROUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


CHAPTER  V. 

GROUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS. 

CLYDE  SILT  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  The  Clyde  silt  loam  is  one  of  the 
best  soils  in  Rock  County.  It  occurs  principally  in  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  county,  but  many  areas  ranging  from  a few 
acres  to  several  hundred  acres  are  found  in  the  flood  plains  of 
streams  and  in  shallow  basins  in  the  upland  in  all  sections  of  the 
county. 

Description.  The  Clyde  silt  loam  consists  of  12  to  14  inches 
of  dark-brown  to  black  silt  loam,  very  high  in  organic  matter. 
The  subsoil  is  a dark-gray  silt  loam,  mottled  with  drab  and 
yellow,  passing  at  about  24  inches  into  a mottled  brownish- 
yellow  or  drab,  silty  clay  loam  which  may  continued  to  a depth 
of  three  feet  or  more. 

The  type  as  mapped  is  not  uniform.  The  surface  1 to  8 inches 
in  many  cases  consists  of  peaty  material.  In  flood  plains  a zone 
of  peaty  material,  ranging  from  1 to  10  inches,  may  be  en- 
countered in  either  the  upper  or  lower  subsoil.  Occasionally 
along  streams  the  black  silt  loam  has  been  deposited  over  loam 
and  fine  sandy  loam,  while  in  other  instances  the  surface  mate- 
rial to  a depth  ranging  from  1 to  10  inches  is  a light-brown  silt 
loam,  underlain  by  black  silt  loam  or  peaty  silt  loam,  due  to 
wash  from  adjoining  high  land. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  this  soil  is  low 
lying,  flat  or  basin  like  and  the  natural  drainage  is  poor.  It 
usually  has  a very  slight  slope  toward  the  drainage  way  along 
which  it  occurs. 

Native  vegetation.  The  original  timber  growth  consisted  of 
elm,  ash,  soft  maple,  willows,  some  sycamore  and  a little  bur 
oak.  Most  of  the  merchantable  timber  has  been  cut,  but  in  a 
few  places  there  is  still  timber  of  good  quality  chiefly  where  the 
type  has  not  been  drained. 

Present  agricultural  development.  This  is  the  strongest  soil 
of  the  county.  It  is  especially  adapted  to  corn.  Grasses  make 


56 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


a very  rank  growth.  Small  grains  are  not  equal  in  quality  to 
that  produced  on  the  light-colored  silt  loam  soils  of  the  upland. 
Alsike  clover,  timothy,  sugar  beets  and  cabbage  do  well.  Peas 
are  grown  to  some  extent,  but  run  too  much  to  vines  to  give 
best  results.  When  sufficiently  drained  the  Clyde  silt  loam  is 
without  question  the  best  corn  land  in  the  state. 

The  most  common  system  of  cropping  consists  of  growing 
hay  for  one  or  two  years,  after  which  corn  is  grown  for  two 
years,  a small  grain  crop  being  then  usually  sown,  after  which 
the  field  is  again  seeded  to  timothy  or  timothy  and  alsike. 

The  selling  price  of  improved  land  of  the  Clyde  silt  loam 
ranges  from  $150  to  $300  an  acre,  while  unimproved  areas 
range  from  $75  to  $150,  depending  upon  the  location  and  drain- 
age possibilities. 

Chemical  composition . and  improvement.  Clyde  silt  loam  is 
one  of  the  four  most  extensive  and  important  soils  in  Rock 
County.  This  type  of  soil  has  been  formed  largely  from  drying 
up  of  marshes  and  occurs  associated  largely  with  Miami  silt 
loam  which  was  formed  by  the  grinding  of  glacial  ice  on  lime- 
stone. These  low  lands  have  received  the  wash  of  lime  from 
the  uplands  for  centuries,  and  the  type,  therefore,  contains  at 
present  more  lime  than  do  most  of  the  upland  soils.  It  is  sel- 
dom in  need  of  lime. 

The  total  supply  of  mineral  plant  food  elements  is  large  and 
where  the  soil  is  typically  developed,  the  elements  are  usually 
found  to  be  well  balanced.  Over  some  areas  the  surface  is 
somwhat  mucky  in  character  and  in  these  localities  the  supply 
of  phosphorus  and  potash  is  relatively  low.  This  soil  contains 
approximately  10,000  pounds  of  nitrogen  in  the  surface  soil, 
about  2,000  pounds  of  phosphorus,  and  from  30,000  to  40,000 
pounds  of  potassium.  The  most  marked  feature  of  this  type 
is  the  fact  that  the  potassium  in  many  cases  is  of  low  availa- 
bility and  crops,  especially  corn,  sometimes  turn  yellow  at  an 
early  stage  and  make  poor  growth.  In  such  cases  the  use  of 
some  form  of  potash  or  strawy  horse  manure  is  necessary  to 
remedy  this  condition.  This  ordinarily  develops  in  patches  of 
from  one  to  several  acres  in  extent. 

The  phosphorus  supply  is  usually  ample  for  a number  of 
years  after  drainage.  Such  land  as  this  must  be  manured  even- 
tually or  commercial  fertilizers  containing  potash  must  be  used. 


GROUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS  57 

There  is  relatively  a much  larger  supply  of  nitrogen  than  phos- 
phorus and  potassium.  For  this  reason  it  is  a good  practice  to 
use  the  manure  on  the  upland  soils  which  are  deficient  in 
nitrogen  and  apply  mineral  fertilizers  to  the  low  land  when 
these  are  needed.  In  many  cases  which  show  a marked  need  of 
potassium  during  the  first  few  years  of  cropping,  usually  where 
the  soil  is  high  in  organic  matter  to  a depth  of  a foot,  this  lack 
of  potassium  frequently  disappears  after  a few  years  of  crop- 
ping as  a result  of  the  settling  of  the  surface  so  that  deep  plow- 
ing mixes  up  some  of  the  soil  high  in  potash. 

The  first  step  in  the  improvement  of  Clyde  silt  loam  is  that 
of  course  of  drainage,  and  when  thorough  drainage  is  estab- 
lished this  type  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  best  corn  soils  in 
Wisconsin. 


CLYDE  FINE  SANDY  LOAM. 

Extent  and  distribution.  This  soil  is  not  extensive,  but  it  is 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  county.  It  is  most  extensive  in 
the  flood  plains  of  Coon,  Bass,  North  Branch  and  March 
Creeks.  There  are  also  small  areas  in  the  flood  plains  of  Rock 
River  and  Turtle  Creek  at  Beloit. 

Description.  The  soil  of  the  Clyde  fine  sandy  loam  is  a black 
or  dark-brown  fine  sandy  loam  about  ten  to  twelve  inches  deep, 
containing  considerable  organic  matter.  In  places  there  is  a 
two  to  eight  inch  layer  of  peaty  material  at  the  surface.  The 
subsoil  is  a dark-drab  fine  sandy  loam  which  becomes  lighter 
in  color  with  depth.  At  twenty  inches  a drab  or  gray  fine  sandy 
loam  is  encountered,  passing  into  a sandy  clay  loam  at  about 
thirty  inches.  The  subsoil  is  variable.  In  some  places  it  con- 
sists of  fine  sandy  loam  to  a depth  of  three  feet  or  more,  while 
in  others  a sandy  clay  is  encountered  at  about  eighteen  inches, 
continuing  to  a depth  of  three  feet  or  more.  In  all  cases  yellow 
mottlings  are  common  throughout  the  subsoil. 

A coarser  variation  of  this  type,  having  the  texture  of  a 
sandy  loam  is  recognized.  The  soil  to  a depth  of  ten  or  twelve 
inches  consists  of  a dark-brown  or  black  sandy  loam,  very  high 
in  organic  matter.  The  upper  subsoil  is  a dark  drabbish-gray 
sandy  loam,  passing  at  about  twenty  inches  into  a drabbish- 
gray  slightly  gravelly  sand,  which  continues  to  a depth  of  three 
feet  or  more.  The  principal  occurrence  of  this  soil  is  in  the 


58  SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

flood  plain  of  Sugar  River,  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  county. 
Small  areas  are  found  along  Taylor  Creek  and  its  tributary  near 
Brodhead.  The  land  is  flat  and  poorly  drained,  and  very  little 
of  it  is  under  cultivation,  its  chief  use  being  for  hay  and 
pasture. 

Topography  and  drainage.  The  surface  of  this  soil  is  all  low 
and  flat,  and  most  of  it  is  subject  to  overflow.  On  account  of  its 
position  the  water  table  is  close  to  the  surface,  and  the  natural 
drainage  is  poor. 

Native  vegetation.  The  native  growth  on  this  soil  consisted 
of  swamp  oak,  willows,  elm,  ash,  soft  maple,  sycamore,  sumac, 
and  alder.  In  open  places  coarse  marsh  grasses  were  abundant. 

Present  agricultural  development.  By  far  the  greater  pari 
of  the  land  is  still  in  an  undrained  condition,  and  most  of  it  is 
now  unsafe  for  growing  cultivated  crops.  Grass  for  pasture 
and  hay  are  the  chief  returns  from  this  soil  at  present.  Where 
open  ditches  have  been  dug,  fair  yields  of  corn  and  small  grains 
and  tame  hay  are  being  secured,  but  not  over  five  per  cent  of 
the  type  is  improved. 

Chemical  composition  and  improvement.  This  soil  is  some- 
what variable  in  its  physical  properties.  Its  supply  of  nitrogen, 
phosphorus,  and  potash  is  somewhat  smaller  than  in  the  silt 
loam,  but  it  contains  more  organic  matter  than  do  the  light 
colored  upland  soils  and  contains  a fair  amount  of  phosphorus 
and  potash.  In  its  improvement  drainage  is  the  first  and  most 
important  step.  When  this  has  been  supplied,  this  soil  is 
well  adapted  to  the  growing  of  general  farm  crops,  but  it  is 
also  well  suited  to  special  truck  crops.  Where  favorably  lo- 
cated, it  should  be  devoted  to  these  special  trucks  crops  rather 
than  to  the  growing  of  general  farm  crops.  When  well  drained, 
it  warms  up  readily,  is  easy  to  cultivate  and  therefore  very 
desirable  for  the  growing  of  crops  which  require  intensive  cul- 
tivation. 

PEAT. 

Peat,  as  mapped  in  Rock  County,  consists  of  vegetable  mat- 
ter in  various  stages  of  decomposition,  mingled  with  varying 
proportions  of  mineral  matter.  It  typically  consists  of  black 
or  dark-brown,  fibrous  to  rather  finely  divided  vegetable  mat- 
ter, mixed  with  a small  amount  of  fine  sand  and  silt.  The 


GBOUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


59 


depth  ranges  from  iy2  to  20  feet,  averaging  about  4 feet.  The 
greater  part  of  the  Peat  is  quite  fibrous,  but  in  a number  of 
places  it  is  fairly  well  decomposed,  so  that  it  can  be  molded 
by  the  hands.  When  dry  this  well  decomposed  Peat  somewhat 
resembles  a black,  carbonaceous  clay.  In  areas  of  sandy  soils 
Peat  is  frequently  underlain  by  sandy  material  while  in  regions 
of  heavy  upland  soils  the  underlying  material  is  clayey  in  char- 
acter. Most  of  the  areas  of  peat  are  underlain  by  material  as 
heavy  as  a loam,  or  heavier.  The  largest  areas  underlain  by 
sand  occur  along  Coon  Creek  in  Newark  Township.  Probably 
95  per  cent  of  the  remaining  areas  are  underlain  by  heavy 
material. 

Peat  occurs  most  extensively  in  the  marshes  of  Lima  and 
Milton  Townships,  along  Allen  Creek  south  of  Evansville,  along 
Bass  Creek  between  Forestville  and  Afton,  and  on  Coons  Creek. 
Smaller  areas  are  scattered  west  of  the  Bock  River. 

The  surface  is  low,  level  and  very  poorly  drained.  During 
early  spring  some  of  the  marshes  are  entirely  covered  with 
water,  but  later  in  the  summer  many  areas  of  Peat  are  suffi- 
ciently dry  and  firm  to  bear  the  weight  of  farm  animals,  so  that 
they  can  be  pastured  or  cut  for  hay  where  there  is  a growth 
of  wild  grasses.  In  the  area  covered  by  the  Late  Wisconsin 
morains  the  Peat  beds  largely  occupy  old  lake  basins,  ponded 
valleys,  kettle  basins,  glacial  sloughs,  and  other  depressions  in 
the  uneven  surface  developed  by  the  glacial  ice  sheet,  and  small 
bodies  are  also  developed  in  the  flood  plains  of  streams.  In 
the  remainder  of  the  county,  most  of  which  is  covered  by  pre- 
Wisconsin  drift,  the  Peat  beds  are  confined  wholly  to  stream 
flood  plains. 

Peat  has  been  formed  through  the  growth  and  partial  de- 
composition in  the  presence  of  water  of  a rank  vegetation,  the 
black  or  dark-colored  material  being  formed  largely  from 
grasses  and  sedges,  and  that  having  a brown  color  chiefly  from 
sphagnum  moss.  About  the  margins  of  the  larger  marshes,  and 
over  the  greater  part  of  the  smaller  ones,  varying  quantities 
of  mineral  soil  from  the  adjoining  higher  land  have  been  washed 
in  and  incorporated  with  the  vegetable  matter.  Although  the 
greater  part  of  the  Peat  occurs  within  the  region  where  the  up- 
land soils  are  made  up  in  part  of  limestone  material,  some  of  it 
is  in  an  acid  condition.  This  is  usually  the  case  in  the  center 


60 


SOIL  SJJBVEY  OF  BOCK  COUNTY 


of  the  larger  marshes,  while  many  of  the  smaller  ones  are  not 
acid. 

The  native  growth  in  the  Peat  marshes  consists  of  several 
varieties  of  grasses  and  sedges,  arrowhead,  cat-tail,  various  reeds 
and  rushes,  and  sphagnum  moss.  On  a few  marshes  tamarack 
is  found. 

Only  a small  percentage  of  the  peat  beds  of  Rock  County 
have  been  ditched  and  reclaimed.  Where  thoroughly  drained 
and  properly  handled,  they  produce  good  yields  of  corn,  mixed 
timothy  and  alsike,  oats,  potatoes,  onions,  celery  and  cabbage. 
The  potatoes  are  not  of  as  good  quality  as  these  grown  on  sandy 
soil,  and  small  grain  is  likely  to  lodge  and  be  of  somewhat  lower 
grade  than  where  grown  on  upland  soil. 

Peat , shallow  phase.  The  shallow  phase  of  Peat  consists  of 
8 to  18  inches  of  black  or  dark-brown  vegetable  matter  in  vary- 
ing stages  of  decomposition,  mixed  with  more  or  less  sand,  silt, 
or  clay.  The  phase  is  developed  in  small  areas  in  the  south- 
eastern and  northeastern  townships  of  the  county,  along  Wau- 
koma,  Allens,  Marsh,  Bass,  Coon,  Norwegian  and  Taylor  Creeks, 
and  Sugar  River. 

In  topography,  drainage,  and  character  of  vegetation  this 
phase  is  similar  to  the  typical  Peat. 

Some  of  the  marshes  are  underlain  with  clay,  clay  loam,  or 
silt  loam  at  a depth  of  only  12  to  15  inches.  When  these  are 
first  drained  there  is  often  a marked  need  of  potash  fertilizer 
or  barnyard  manure  for  a few  years,  but  later  this  need  par- 
tially or  entirely  disappears.  This  seems  to  be  due  to  the  set- 
tling of  the  mucky  layer  upon  being  drained  and  worked,  per- 
mitting the  underlying  material,  which  contains  a good  supply 
of  potassium,  to  become  mixed  with  the  organic  material  so  as 
to  supply  plants  with  potash. 

AGRICULTURAL  VALUE  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF  PEAT. 

The  amount  of  marsh  land  occurring  in  Rock  County  so  well 
located  with  reference  to  market  and  transportation  facilities 
makes  it  important  to  consider  its  agricultural  possibilities  quite 
fully.  At  present  only  a very  small  proportion  of  the  peat  soil 
in  this  county  is  improved. 

The  question  of  the  actual  value  of  marsh  land  is  one  which 
depends  on  several  factors.  In  the  first  place,  the  farmer  whose 


GROUP  OF  POORLY  BRAINED  SOILS 


61 


land  is  largely  upland  and  well  drained  can  use  a small  amount 
of  marsh  land  to  very  much  better  advantage  than  can  the 
farmer  whose  land  is  essentially  all  marsh  land.  But  probably 
the  most  important  factor  determining  the  value  of  marsh  land 
will  be  the  crops  which  can  be  grown  on  it.  This  depends  on 
two  factors,  first  the  degree  of  drainage,  and  second  the  danger 
from  frost.  When  only  the  main  outlet  and  lateral  ditches  have 
been  installed,  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  hay  crops  are  the 
only  ones  which  can  be  safely  grown,  and  the  character  of  the 
hay  will  also  depend  a good  deal  on  the  character  of  the  drain- 
age. In  the  case  of  peat  land  underlain  by  sand  the  drainage 
by  well-constructed  and  sufficiently  deep  ditches  40  to  80  rods 
apart  will,  in  most  cases,  give  adequate  drainage  for  this  pur- 
pose. When  the  peat  soil  is  underlain  by  silt  or  clay,  however, 
ditches  not  more  than  20  rods  apart  will  be  necessary  and  these 
must  lower  the  water  in  the  ditch  to  a point  4 or  5 feet  below 
the  surface  during  part  of  the  growing  period.  When  tilled 
crops,  such  as  corn,  cabbage,  or  potatoes,  or  small  grains  are  to 
be  grown,  the  drainage  must  be  more  certain,  and  over  the 
greater  portion  of  our  marsh  lands  this  will  mean  the  installa- 
tion of  drainage  systems  in  the  form  of  either  open  lateral  ditches 
or  of  tile  not  more  than  10  and  often  not  more  than  5 rods 
apart  on  the  average. 

Another  factor  which  must  be  considered  in  comparing  marsh 
and  upland  soils  is  that  of  fertility  as  determined  by  chemical 
composition.  Marsh  lands  are  abundantly  supplied  with  or- 
ganic matter  containing  nitrogen,  but  are  relatively  low  in  the 
elements  phosphorus  and  potassium.  The  marsh  lands  of  Rock 
County  are  rarely  in  need  of  lime  since  the  acidity  which  ordi- 
narily develops  in  marsh  land  is  kept  neutralized  by  the  lime 
carried  down  from  surrounding  uplands.  Some  of  the  marshes 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county  show  some  need  of  lime. 
In  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  the  peat  is  seldom  acid.  Stable 
manure  can  be  used  for  fertilizing  marsh  land,  but  it  contains 
large  amounts  of  nitrogen,  which  the  marsh  soil  does  not  need 
and  is  relatively  low  in  phosphorus  and  contains  but  a moderate 
amount  of  potassium.  Moreover,  weeds  so  commonly  carried 
into  the  land  with  stable  manure  are  especially  hard  to  eradicate 
on  this  class  of  soil.  Ordinarily,  therefore,  it  is  more  satisfac- 
tory to  use  commercial  fertilizers  containing  phosphorus  and  po- 
tassium on  marsh  soils  than  stable  manure.  At  any  rate  this  is 


62 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


true  when  the  farm  contains  some  upland  soils  as  well  as  marsh 
land,  since  the  stable  manure  can  be  used  on  the  upland  while 
the  commercial  fertilizers  are  secured  for  use  on  marsh  land. 

Marsh  lands  are  more  subject  to  early  fall  and  late  spring 
frosts  than  are  uplands,  partly  because  of  the  fact  that  the  cold 
air  developing  in  contact  with  the  soil  as  the  latter  loses  its 
heat  by  radiation  during  the  night,  flows  down  and  collects  over 
the  lower  land,  and  partly  because  the  loose,  spongy  nature  of 
the  peat  soil  prevents  the  heat  of  the  sun  from  penetrating  so 
that  all  except  the  mere  surface  is  cool,  and  this  loses  its  heat 
quickly  at  night,  therefore  increasing  the  tendency  to  frost. 
This  loose  character  of  the  soil  can  be  somewhat  improved  by 
the  use  of  a heavy  roller  which  firms  the  soil  and  so  gives  it 
better  heat  conductivity.  This  tendency  to  frost  reduces  some- 
what the  availability  of  marsh  land  for  tender  crops,  but  in 
Rock  County,  potatoes  and  corn  on  marsh  lands  are  seldom  in- 
jured by  frost. 

The  large  water-holding  capacity  of  marsh  soils  together  with 
their  large  quantity  of  nitrogen  makes  them  suitable  for  crops, 
making  strong  growth  of  stock  or  leaf.  Among  the  staple  crops, 
hay  and  corn  are  best  suited  to  such  land.  Special  crops  such 
as  cabbage,  hemp  and  sugar  beets  also  do  well,  but  these  will 
require  larger  amounts  of  potassium  and  phosphorus  fertilizers. 
The  degree  of  drainage  must  also  be  considered  in  selecting  the 
crop  to  be  grown.  Timothy  and  alsike  clover  for  hay  may  be 
grown  on  marsh  land  having  insufficient  drainage  to  be  adapted 
to  corn  or  other  crops  requiring  tillage. 

DRAINAGE. 

In  Rock  County  there  are  75,200  acres  of  land  which  may  be 
classed  as  poorly  drained,  and  which  must  be  provided  with  open 
ditches  or  tile  drains  before  cultivated  crops  can  be  safely  grown 
from  year  to  year.  This  includes  52,672  acres  of  Clyde  silt 
loam,  13,248  acres  of  peat,  and  9,280  acres  of  Clyde  fine  sandy 
loam.  In  addition  to  these  soils,  there  are  places  on  the  level 
prairie  and  also  in  the  light-colored  terrace  soils  where  the  lands 
are  somewhat  deficient  in  drainage,  and  where  tile  drains  can 
be  used  with  profit.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  there  are  approxi- 
mately 100,000  acres  of  land  in  Rock  County  which  could  be 
profitabty  improved  by  drainage. 


GROUP  OF  POORLY  BRAINED  SOILS  fi3 

The  three  soils  mentioned  above  are,  for  the  most  part,  unim- 
proved, or  are  used  only  for  grazing  or  for  the  production  of 
wild  or  tame  hay.  The  Clyde  silt  loam,  when  drained,  makes 
one  of  the  best  types  for  corn  in  southern  Wisconsin,  and  to 
have  it  in  its  present  undrained  condition  is  an  economic  loss. 
The  peat  is  less  valuable,  but  its  improvement  by  drainage  will 
greatly  add  to  the  producing  possibilities  of  the  county.  The 
Clyde  fine  sandy  loam  is  a good  trucking  soil  when  drained. 
Practically  all  of  these  lands  can  be  successfully  drained,  and 
every  farmer  having  poorly  drained  land  should  develop  a plan 
by  himself,  or  with  his  neighbors,  for  the  improvement  of  these 
idle  acres. 

Where  any  area  of  low  land  includes  part  of  several  farms, 
the  owners  can  form  a drainage  district  and  sell  bonds  to  pay 
for  the  improvement.  In  this  way,  the  cost  of  drainage  can 
be  spread  over  a number  of  years,  and  paid  for  from  the  prod- 
ucts of  the  improved  acres.  Assistance  in  the  development  of 
such  projects  can — and,  in  fact,  must — be  secured  from  the  state 
authorities  who  pass  upon  the  practicability  of  the  project  be- 
fore the  court  permits  the  organization  of  the  district. 

Since  over  sixteen  per  cent  of  the  land  in  Rock  County  is  fail- 
ing to  do  its  duty  because  of  poor  drainage,  and  since  well- 
drained  land  adjoining  is  worth  from  $100  to  $300  per  acre,  it 
would  seem  that  the  improvement  of  such  land  would  be  a mat- 
ter of  vital  concern  to  the  county  as  a whole.  If  this  land  were 
all  in  corn  and  properly  handled,  it  would  yield  at  a conserva- 
tive figure  over  three  million  bushels  per  year. 

For  a more  detailed  discussion  of  the  problem  of  drainage,  see 
Bulletins  Nos.  284  and  309,  Wisconsin  Experiment  Station. 


G4 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


CHAPTER  VI. 

GENERAL  AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK 

COUNTY. 

The  system  of  agriculture  followed  at  present  consists  of  gen- 
. eral  farming  with  dairying  as  one  of  the  most  important  and 
profitable  phases.  The  chief  crops  grown  in  the  approximate 
order  of  their  importance  are  corn,  hay,  oats,  barley,  wheat, 
rye,  tobacco,  alfalfa,  potatoes,  sugar  beets,  peas,  cabbages,  beans 
and  other  miscellaneous  truck  crops.  There  are  over  1,550  silos 
in  Rock  County,  and  nearly  half  of  the  corn  is  used  as  ensilage. 
The  heavy  soils  of  the  Clyde  series,  when  well  drained,  and  the 
black  prairie  soils  make  the  best  corn  land  in  the  county. 

The  hay  consists  chiefly  of  clover  and  timothy.  Medium  red 
is  the  most  popular  clover.  Some  difficulty  is  experienced  in 
getting  and  keeping  good  stands  of  clover,  due  in  part  to  winter 
killing,  and  in  part  to  an  acid  condition  of  the  land,  which  is 
unfavorable  to  the  growth  of  clover  and  other  legumes.  Hay 
is  grown  on  practically  all  soils  of  the  county,  but  does  best  on 
the  heavier  types. 

Oats  and  barley  are  grown  chiefly  as  feed  for  stock  on  the 
farm,  but  some  is  sold  and  shipped  each  year  to  the  large  mar- 
ket centers. 

The  growing  of  wheat  decreased  greatly  after  1880,  but  dur- 
ing and  after  the  late  war,  the  acreage  greatly  increased.  In 
1918,  a favorable  year,  the  average  yield  was  about  thirty  bush- 
els per  acre.  Since  then  both  acreage  and  yields  have  been  con- 
siderably less.  In  1919,  the  yield  was  fifteen  bushels  per  acre. 

Alfalfa  is  justly  increasing  in  favor,  and  the  acreage  is  grad- 
ually increasing,  which  is  encouraging,  as  this  is  an  excellent 
feed  and  a good  soil  builder.  Tobacco  is  an  important  special 
crop.  Through  the  practice  of  heavy  fertilization  of  this  crop 
on  the  same  field  year  after  year,  other  parts  of  the  farm  are 
robbed  of  their  fertility  for  the  sake  of  the  tobacco  patch.  To 
equalize  the  distribution  of  manure,  the  tobacco  field  should  be 


AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


65 


rotated  to  different  parts  of  the  farm,  and  the  crop  should  be 
grown  in  rotation  with  other  crops. 

The  growing  of  sugar  beets,  while  limited  at  present,  could 
well  be  extended  when  the  crop  insures  a profit,  since  there  is 
a factory  at  Janesville.  They  do  well  on  practically  all  of  the 
heavy  types  of  the  area.  Peas  for  canning  seem  to  be  best  on 
Miami  silt  loam,  although  they  are  successfully  grown  on  most 
upland  types  of  the  area. 

Dairying  is  the  most  important  branch  of  farming.  The  Hol- 
stein is  the  predominating  breed,  though  the  majority  of  the 
cows  are  grade  stock  of  good  breeding.  In  1919  there  were 
37,914  milk  cows  in  the  county. 

There  is  some  feeding  of  steers  for  the  Chicago  market,  but 
this  is  much  less  common  than  dairying.  Hogs  are  raised  ex- 
tensively in  conjunction  with  dairying  and  also  with  feeding 
cattle.  On  January  1,  1920,  there  were  69,960  hogs  in  the 
county. 


ADAPTION  OF  CROPS  TO  SOILS. 

It  is  recognized  in  a general  way  that  different  soils  are 
adapted  to  different  types  of  farming.  The  gravelly  loam  types 
are  mostly  too  rough  for  the  growing  of  general  farm  crops, 
and  farmers  realize  that  they  are  best  adapted  for  pasturage. 
It  is  a well-known  fact  that  crops  on  low-lying  land  are  most 
susceptible  to  frost.  All  the  farmers  are  beginning  to  recog- 
nize differences  in  the  adaptation  of  soils  to  certain  crops  and 
varieties,  and  the  majority  are  guided  in  a measure  by  such 
knowledge,  but  few  carefully  select  their  fields  on  soils  best 
adapted  to  a particular  crop.  It  is  generally  considered  that 
corn  does  best  on  the  heavy  Clyde  silt  loam,  and  it  is  well  suited 
to  all  the  heavier,  dark  colored  soils,  such  as  the  Carrington 
and  Waukesha  silt  loams.  On  these  dark  soils,  high  in  organic 
natter,  small  grains  are  apt  to  lodge,  and  the  quality  of  the 
jrain  is  not  so  good  as  on  the  light  colored,  heavy  types.  Peas 
lo  best  on  the  Miami  silt  loam  and  Fox  silt  loam  chiefly  on 
iccount  of  the  high  lime  content,  while  potatoes  of  the  best 
juality  are  grown  on  the  sandy  and  fine  sandy  loam  soils.  The 
ugar  content  of  beets  grown  on  the  Carrington  silt  loam,  Wau- 
esha  silt  loam,  and  Clyde  silt  loam  is  lower  than  that  of  beets 
rown  on  the  Miami  silt  loam  and  Fox  silt  loam,  but  the  yield 


66 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


is  enough  higher  to  give  a little  better  net  return.  Tobacco  is 
grown  most  extensively  on  the  Miami  and  Carrington  silt  loams, 
both  being  well  adapted  to  the  crop.  The  choicest  land  for  to- 
bacco seems  to  be  near  areas  of  Carrington  fine  sandy  loam 
where  a little  fine  sand  is  mixed  with  the  Carrington  silt  loam. 
The  lighter  textured  soils  are  considered  the  best  for  trucking. 
It  must  be  recognized,  of  course,  that  when  a crop  is  well  suited 
to  a certain  soil,  that  crop  cannot  be  grown  on  it  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  other  crops,  because  rotations  must  be  followed  to  insure 
keeping  up  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  For  example,  on  good  corn 
land,  corn  should  not  be  grown  every  year  on  the  same  field. 
It  may  be  grown  two  years  in  succession,  however.  When  the 
land  is  not  so  well  suited  to  it,  corn  may  be  grown  only  one 
year  in  the  rotation. 

methods. 

The  tendency  throughout  Rock  County  is  toward  better  meth- 
ods of  cultivation,  fertilization  and  seed  selection,  and  as  a re- 
sult, yields  are  being  increased.  Where  the  soil  is  droughty 
but  not  subject  to  erosion,  fall  plowing  has  been  found  helpful 
in  the  conservation  of  moisture.  Often  the  heavy  sod  soils  are 
plowed  in  the  fall.  It  is  customary  to  apply  stable  manure  to 
land  that  is  to  be  plowed  for  corn,  but  if  the  land  is  plowed  in 
the  fall  the  manure  is  often  hauled  out  during  the  winter  and 
scattered  over  the  plowed  surface.  When  stubble  land  is  plowed 
in  the  late  summer,  manure  is  frequently  applied  before  plow- 
ing. Where  tobacco  is  grown,  it  receives  practically  all  of  the 
manure,  and  the  field  soon  becomes  the  richest  on  the  farm.  It 
is  easier  to  use  the  same  field  year  after  year  than  to  change 
the  crop,  and  tobacco  has  often  been  grown  in  the  same  field 
for  from  five  to  ten  years,  and  in  some  instances  for  fifteen  years. 
This  condition  can  be  improved  by  following  a rotation  of  to- 
bacco with  other  crops  as  outlined  on  page  — under  the  discus- 
sion of  rotations.  Throughout  the  county  most  of  the  farmers 
plan  to  seed  their  land  to  grasses  at  least  once  every  four  or 
five  years. 

FARM  EQUIPMENT. 

The  farm  buildings,  including  the  dwellings,  are  generally 
large  and  substantial.  The  barns  usually  have  a stone  or  con- 


AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


67 


Crete  foundation.  Most  of  the  dairy  farms  have  a silo.  The 
fences  are  good,  many  of  them  being  of  woven  wire.  The  work 
stock  consists  of  draft  horses  of  medium  to  heavy  weight.  Mod- 
ern farm  machinery  is  in  use  throughout  the  county.  There 
are  a number  of  traction  engines  used  for  plowing  as  well  as 
for  other  farm  work.  Machines  for  thrashing  grain  travel 
about  the  country  serving  the  farmers  soon  after  harvest.  There 
are  also  numerous  co-operative  thrashing  outfits  owned  by  the 
farmers  themselves. 


FARM  TENURE. 

The  1910  census  reports  the  number  of  farms  in  the  county 
as  3,787,  comprising  95.9  per  cent  of  the  total  land  area.  The 
average  size  of  the  farms  in  1910  was  116  acres,  of  which  ninety- 
five  acres,  or  81.8  per  cent,  was  improved.  The  percentage  of 
farms  operated  by  owners  was  66.8  per  cent,  by  tenants  32.4 
per  cent  and  by  managers  .8  per  cent.  The  1920  census  shows 
practically  the  same  figures.  Ordinarily  where  the  landlord 
supplies  the  work  stock  and  tools,  he  received  two-thirds  of  the 
crop.  Where  the  tenant  supplies  these  in  addition  to  his  labor, 
the  landlord  receives  one-half  or  one-third  of  the  crop. 

FARM  VALUES. 

The  selling  price  of  the  better  farming  land  ranges  from  $125 
to  $300  an  acre,  depending  on  the  quality  of  the  soil,  the  topog- 
raphy, the  improvements  and  the  accessibility  of  markets.  The 
highest  priced  lands,  excluding  farms  near  the  cities  and  towns, 
are  the  level  to  gently  rolling,  heavy  soils,  especially  the  silt 
loams.  The  more  rolling  areas  of  heavy  soils,  together  with  the 
sandy  loams,  range  in  valuation  from  $75  to  $125  an  acre,  while 
the  areas  of  deeper  sand  types  and  some  areas  subject  to  over- 
flow are  valued  at  $40  to  $75  an  acre. 

IMPROVEMENTS  IN  METHODS  OF  FARMING. 

There  are  about  100  farmers  in  Rock  County  who  have  had 
their  farms  examined  by  the  State  Soils  Laboratory,  and  are 
now  following  instructions  received  for  the  improvement  of  their 
soils.  This  line  of  work  has  brought  a soil  expert  to  each  farm, 
and  careful  examination  has  been  made  of  the  soil  and  subsoil. 


68 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


Samples  have  been  collected  for  chemical  analysis,  and  observa- 
tions made  as  to  the  methods  of  cultivation,  fertilization,  etc., 
followed.  Upon  the  completion  of  the  chemical  work,  reports 
are  made  for  each  farm,  outlining  methods  for  the  permanent 
improvement  of  the  soil  on  each  farm.  It  has  been  found  that 
through  this  line  of  work,  practically  all  of  the  black  prairie 
soils  are  acid  and  in  need  of  varying  amounts  of  lime.  The 
phosphorus  supply  has  also  been  found  to  be  limited  on  most 
farms.  On  the  light-colored  soils,  there  has  been  found  to  be 
a deficiency  in  the  nitrogen  and  organic  matter  supply  and  also 
in  the  amount  of  phosphorus  found  in  the  soil.  As  a rule  the 
acidity  is  not  so  marked  in  the  light-colored  soils  as  on  the 
prairie  lands. 

As  a result  of  instructions  which  have  been  given  through 
this  service,  the  use  of  ground  limestone  has  materially  increased, 
and  commercial  fertilizers  are  used  to  a greater  extent  and  with 
greater  effectiveness  than  before  this  service  was  inaugurated 
by  the  Agricultural  College. 

The  soils  department  of  the  university,  through  its  extension 
specialist  has  started  numerous  co-operative  fertilizer  and  lime 
demonstrations  in  Rock  county.  Farmers  throughout  the  region 
are  gaining  much  valuable  information  from  these  tests,  which 
help  to  make  every  farm  more  productive. 

Through  the  work  of  Wisconsin  Experiment  Association  the 
importance  of  using  good  seed  grains  has  been  emphasized,  and 
farmers  are  now  paying  more  attention  to  the  selection  of  their 
seed  grains,  with  the  result  that  both  yields  and  quality  have 
gradually  increased.  There  are  a number  of  farms  within  the 
county  which  make  a business  of  raising  pure-bred  pedigreed 
seed  grain. 

CROP  ROTATIONS. 

It  is  quite  generally  understood  that  the  continuous  growth 
of  one  crop  on  the  same  field  takes  fertility  out  of  a soil  more 
rapidly  than  does  a rotation  of  crops.  One  of  the  most  impor- 
tant farm  practices,  therefore,  from  the  standpoint  of  maintain- 
ing fertility,  is  the  rotation  of  crops  on  a basis  suited  to  the 
soil,  climate,  farm,  and  market  conditions. 

One  reason  why  a crop  rotation  is  beneficial  is  that  different 
crops  require  different  amounts  of  the  various  plant  food  ele- 


AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


69 


merits  found  in  the  soil.  One  crop  will  remove  a large  amount 
of  one  element  from  the  soil,  and  the  next  crop,  if  it  be  the  same 
kind,  will  suffer  for  the  lack  of  that  element.  If  some  other 
crop  which  does  not  draw  as  heavily  on  that  particular  plant 
food  is  rotated  with  the  former,  a certain  balance  in  available 
plant  food  is  reached. 

When  cultivated  crops  are  grown  continuously  there  is  a 
greater  loss  of  organic  matter  or  humus  from  the  soil  than  is 
the  case  when  properly  rotated.  The  use  of  legumes  in  rotations 
is  of  particular  value  since  when  they  are  well  inoculated  and 
turned  under  they  not  only  support  organic  matter  to  the  soil, 
but  they  also  increase  the  nitrogen  content. 

In  any  program  of  permanent  soil  improvement,  therefore, 
one  should  adopt  at  the  outset  a good  rotation  of  crops,  includ- 
ing a liberal  use  of  legumes,  in  order  to  increase  the  organic 
matter  of  the  soil  either  by  plowing  under  the  legume  crops  and 
other  crop  residues,  or  by  using  as  food  and  bedding  practically 
all  crops  raised  and  returning  the  manure  to  the  land  with  as 
little  loss  as  possible.  No  one  can  say  in  advance  what  will  be 
the  best  rotation  for  any  farm  because  of  the  wide  variation  in 
farms,  farmers,  and  the  prices  of  farm  produce. 

It  is  of  great  importance  that  in  selecting  crops  to  grow,  care- 
ful consideration  be  given  to  the  question  of  climate.  This  is 
about  the  only  factor  which  the  farmer  absolutely  cannot  con- 
trol. A poor  soil  may  be  improved,  better  markets  may  be 
found,  and  better  labor  secured;  but  the  farmer  is  powerless  to 
change  climatic  conditions.  He  must,  therefore,  select  such  crops 
as  are  suited  to  his  climate. 

The  soil  is  also  a factor  of  great  importance.  As  a general 
rule,  small  grain  crops  do  better  on  heavy  than  on  light  soils, 
and  the  same  is  true  of  grasses  grown  for  hay.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  same  variety  of  corn  requires  a shorter  season  for  ma- 
turity on  light  than  on  heavy  soil.  Rather  light  soils  and  those 
of  intermediate  texture  are  better  adapted  to  potato  growing 
and  root  crops.  Therefore,  on  light  soils  a greater  acreage 
should  be  devoted  to  cultivated  crops  than  on  heavy  types. 

Shipping  and  marketing  facilities  must  also  be  considered  in 
planning  a rotation.  The  farmer  located  on  a sandy  loam  farm 
close  to  a railroad  station  or  home  market  will  often  find  it 
profitable  to  include  potatoes  in  his  rotation.  If  he  is  located 


70 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


six  or  seven  miles  from  a station,  the  profits  from  growing  pota- 
toes will  be  much  lessened.  It  will  then  pay  him  better  to  raise 
more  corn  for  stock  feeding,  and  to  convert  his  crops  into  dairy 
products  which  are  less  bulky,  and  which  for  the  same  bulk  have 
a greater  value. 

Some  of  the  other  things  which  we  should  keep  in  mind  re- 
garding a good  rotation  are  that  it  helps  to  control  weeds.  It 
also  aids  in  controlling  plant  diseases,  and  serves  to  check  in- 
sect pests.  Following  a good  rotation  increases  the  humus  sup- 
ply in  the  soil,  and  insures  maintaining  a good  amount  of  avail- 
able nitrogen  in  the  soil.  It  helps  to  distribute  the  labor  effi- 
ciently throughout  the  year.  A good  crop  rotation  means  that 
the  proper  crops  will  be  grown  at  the  proper  time  and  in  the 
proper  place,  and  this  will  aid  in  keeping  the  soil  in  proper 
sanitary  condition.  It  will  also  increase  net  returns  from  each 
acre,  and  greatly  improve  the  general  appearance  of  the  farm. 

Following  are  a fewT  suggestions  which  will  apply  to  farms  in 
the  corn  belt  and  they  may  serve  as  outlines  to  be  modified  ac 
cording  to  varying  conditions: 


Six-Year  Rotation. 


1st  year. 

Corn. 

2nd  year. 

Corn. 

3rd  year. 

Wheat  or  oats  (with  clover,  or 

4th  year. 

Clover;  or  clover  and  grass. 

5th  year. 

Wheat  (with  clover)  ; or  grass 

6th  year. 

Clover;  or  clover  and  grass. 

Five-Year  Rotations. 

1st  year. 

Corn. 

2nd  year. 

Corn. 

3rd  year. 

Small  grain  with  clover. 

4th  year. 

Clover. 

5th  year. 

Wheat  with  clover. 

1st  year. 

Corn. 

2nd  year. 

Small  grain  with  clover. 

3rd  year. 

Clover. 

4th  year. 

Wheat  with  clover. 

5th  year. 

Clover. 

clover  and  grass), 
and  clover. 


Plate  V 


VIEW  SHOWING  COMBINATION  DAIRY  AND  TOBACCO  FARM. 

These  two  lines  of  farming-  are  extensively  developed  in  northern  Rock  and  southern  Dane  Counties.  In  some  sections  to 


AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


71 


1st  year. 
2nd  year. 
3rd  year. 
4th  year. 
5th  year. 


1st  year. 
2nd  year. 
3rd  year. 
4th  year. 

1st  year. 
2nd  year. 
3rd  year. 
4th  year. 


Corn. 

Cowpeas;  or  soybeans. 

Wheat  with  clover. 

Clover. 

Wheat  with  clover. 

Four -Year  Rotations. 

Wheat. 

Corn. 

Oats  with  clover. 

Clover. 

Corn. 

Corn. 

Wheat  or  oats  with  clover. 
Clover. 


Three-Year  Rotation. 

1st  year.  Corn. 

2nd  year.  Oats  or  wheat  with  clover. 

3rd  year.  Clover. 

In  some  of  the  rotations  suggested  it  may  be  desirable  to  sub- 
stitute rye  or  barley  for  wheat  or  oats.  When  clover  is  mentioned, 
it  is  meant  to  include  the  various  clovers  used,  such  as  red,  alsike, 
or  sweet  clover.  The  value  of  sweet  clover  is  coming  to  be  more 
appreciated  and  its  importance  in  a crop  rotation  program  may 
well  be  emphasized. 

Tobacco  can  well  be  grown  on  the  same  field  for  from  two  to 
three  years,  followed  by  two  years  of  corn  and  one  of  small 
grain  seeded  to  clover.  Phosphate  fertilizer  should  be  used  to 
supplement  manure.  A second  crop  of  clover  can  be  plowed 
under  and  thus  save  some  manure  for  other  parts  of  the  farm. 
Tobacco  is  grown  chiefly  on  Miami  and  Carrington  silt  loams. 
A small  amount  of  fine  sand  in  these  types  seems  to  be  a desir- 
able characteristic. 

The  growing  of  peas  for  canning  is  important  in  some  sec- 
tions, and  this  crop  may  be  introduced  into  the  rotation  very 
readily.  A four-year  rotation  may  consist  of  small  grain,  clover, 
a cultivated  crop,  followed  by  peas.  This  may  be  made  a five- 
year  rotation  by  adding  timothy  and  cutting  hay  two  years. 


72 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


The  growing  of  sugar  beets  is  also  an  important  industry,  and 
beets  may  also  be  introduced  into  the  rotation  without  difficulty. 
It  is  best  not  to  have  the  beets  follow  or  precede  the  corn,  but 
the  crop  may  follow  barley  or  other  small  grain.  Beets  can  be 
grown  very  successfully  following  tobacco  since  tobacco  land  is 
in  a high  state  of  fertility,  and  since  the  beets  use  a somewhat 
different  combination  of  plant  foods  than  does  the  tobacco,  and 
draws  more  upon  the  subsoil. 

A three-year  rotation  is  popular  on  many  of  the  dairy  farms. 
It  consists  of  grain  seeded  to  clover,  and  the  clover  followed  by 
corn  or  some  other  cultivated  crop.  Much  the  larger  portion 
of  the  corn  in  this  region  is  put  in  the  silo  to  be  fed  to  dairy 
animals.  The  clover  is  made  into  hay,  and  fed  to  stock.  It  is 
often  possible  to  get  two  crops  of  medium  red  clover  in  one  sea- 
son. The  second  crop  may  be  cut  for  hay,  or  may  be  pastured. 
Pasturing  is  advisable  on  well-stocked  dairy  farms.  This  three- 
year  rotation  may  be  lengthened  into  a four-year  rotation  by  the 
addition  of  timothy  so  that  hay  can  be  cut  two  years  instead 
of  one  year,  or  the  land  can  be  pastured  the  second  year  instead 
of  cutting  for  hay. 

Potato  raising  when  properly  managed  is  a profitable  industry 
in  many  parts  of  the  state.  Although  good  crops  may  be  grown 
on  heavy  clay  soils,  the  sandy  loams  are  especially  well  adapted 
to  potato  production.  For  best  results,  this  crop  should  be 
grown  in  rotation  with  other  crops,  and  should  always  follow  a 
legume  of  some  kind.  Potatoes  should  not  follow  corn  or  corn 
potatoes,  as  both  crops  draw  heavily  on  the  fertility  of  the  land. 
In  the  rotations  which  have  been  given,  potatoes  can  be  planted 
as  one  of  the  cultivated  crops.  It  is  better  to  apply  manure  to 
the  clover  crop  rather  than  just  before  planting  to  potatoes, 
for  scab  is  more  common  when  potatoes  are  planted  on  freshly 
manured  land.  The  three-year  rotation  just  described  is  excel- 
lent for  sections  where  potatoes  are  grown  extensively,  the 
potatoes  taking  the  place  of  corn.  As  a rule  cropping  to  pota- 
toes oftener  than  once  in  three  years  is  not  recommended. 

LIMING. 

Part  of  the  land  on  practically  every  farm  in  Bock  County 
is  in  need  of  lime.  All  of  the  soil  types  on  the  prairies  show 
an  acid  condition  which  is  usually  slight  to  medium  in  degree. 


AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


73 


The  subsoil  of  the  prairie  types  also  show  some  acidity  to  a 
depth  of  from  two  to  three  feet.  The  light  colored  upland  soils 
are  usually  slightly  acid  at  the  surface,  but  as  soon  as  the  grav- 
elly or  gritty  layer  in  the  subsoil  is  reached  the  material  is  cal- 
careous and  contains  lime. 

The  soils  which  are  least  iii  need  of  lime  are  the  Clyde  series 
and  the  peat  soils. 

The  degree  of  acidity  is  quite  variable  and  each  farmer  may 
find  a wide  variation  in  acidity  on  his  farm.  Failure  of  clover 
and  alfalfa  is  usually  a sure,  and  one  of  the  best,  indications 
of  the  need  of  lime.  About  two  tons  of  ground  limestone  per 
acre  is  the  usual  application.  The  amount  to  be  used,  however, 
may  vary  with  the  character  of  the  soil  and  the  crop  to  be 
grown.  Such  crops  as  alfalfa,  sweet  clover,  peas,  cabbage, 
onions  and  lettuce  have  a high  lime  requirement.  Clover,  garden 
beans,  barley,  hemp,  turnips  and  radishes  have  a medium  lime 
requirement,  while  vetch,  white  clover,  oats,  rye,  blue  grass, 
potatoes,  sorghum  and  others  have  a low  requirement  for  lime. 
As  a rule  the  heavy  types  of  soil  which  are  acid  need  more  lime 
than  the  sandy  types  showing  the  same  degree  of  acidity. 

Ground  limestone  is  doubtless  the  most  economical  form  of 
lime  which  can  be  extensively  utilized  in  Rock  County.  Lime 
should  be  applied  previous  to  planting  the  crop  which  is  to  be 
benefited.  It  should  be  applied  to  plowed  land  and  thoroughly 
worked  in  by  harrowing.  Either  fall,  winter  or  spring  appli- 
cations may  be  made  on  heavy  soils,  but  on  light  soils  spring 
application  is  preferable. 

The  best  way  to  apply  lime  is  with  a regular  spreader  made 
for  this  purpose,  and  there  are  a number  on  the  market.  A 
manure  spreader  may  also  be  used  by  first  putting  in  a thin 
layer  of  manure  and  spreading  the  limestone  evenly  on  top  of 
the  manure.  Where  several  farmers  are  so  situated  that  they 
can  work  together,  a lime  spreader  may  be  secured  jointly  for 
this  purpose. 

After  making  a first  application  of  two  tons  per  acre,  it  is  not 
likely  that  another  application  will  be  needed  for  four  to  six 
years,  and  the  need  should  be  determined  by  the  story  which 
the  crops  themselves  tell. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  most  acid  soils  are  also  deficient 
in  available  phosphorus,  but  applying  lime  will  not  add  to  the 


74 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


total  amount  of  phosphorus  in  the  soil.  The  need  of  phosphorus 
may  be  so  great  that  but  little  result  will  be  secured  from  liming 
until  phosphorus  is  also  added.  Frequently  the  application  of 
phosphorus  alone  to  an  acid  soil  will  result  in  larger  increases 
than  the  use  of  lime  alone,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  important 
that  both  deficiencies  should  be  corrected  to  secure  the  most 
economical  production. 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  LIME,  COMMERCIAL  FERTILIZER  AND  MANURE. 

Phosphate  or  other  fertilizers  or  lime  should  be  uniformly  dis- 
tributed, so  that  some  will  be  near  every  plant.  Ground  lime- 
stone is  applied  at  the  rate  of  from  2,000  to  4,000  pounds  or 
more  an  acre,  while  with  phosphates  and  other  fertilizers  the 
amount  applied  for  staple  crops  is  usually  from  75  to  400 
pounds.  It  is  difficult  to  construct  a machine  which  will  satis- 
factorily distribute  both  fertil  zer  and  limestone,  although  such 
machines  are  on  the  market  and  also  others  for  distributing  each 
separately.  The  fertilizer  distributor  may  be  a part  of  a grain 
drill  or  a separate  machine.  The  machine  for  distributing 
ground  limestone  should  be  provided  with  a double  agitator  so 
as  to  secure  continuous  feeding. 

End  gate  seeders  which  will  distribute  proper  amounts  of 
either  fertilizer  or  ground  limestone  fairly  well  are  available. 

When  a fertilizer  distributor  is  not  available  the  acid  phos- 
phate or  other  fertilizer  may  be  spread  evenly  over  the  manure 
in  the  manure  spreader,  and  so  receive  a very  fair  distribution. 
This  method  will  give  very  good  results  until  such  time  as  a 
grain  drill  with  fertilizer  attachment  can  be  purchased.  The 
amount  to  be  applied  on  each  spreader  load  must  be  calculated 
so  the  right  amount  per  acre  will  be  applied.  An  old  drill  or 
seeder  may  also  be  used  to  distribute  the  fertilizer  going  ahead 
of  the  grain  drill. 

The  care  and  use  of  the  manure  produced  is  an  important  fac- 
tor in  the  management  of  dairy  and  stock  farms.  The  chief  ad- 
vantage of  these  types  of  farming  is  that  the  proper  use  of  the 
manure  or  other  waste  products  makes  it  possible  to  maintain 
profitable  yields  with  comparatively  little  purchased  fertilizer. 
But  it  is  only  when  intelligent  care  is  taken  that  this  result  is 
possible.  Much  of  the  available  plant  food  in  manure  is  read- 
ily soluble  in  water,  so  that  if  the  manure  is  exposed  to  the  rain 


AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


75 


in  flat  or  shallow  piles,  a considerable  part  of  its  value  is  lost. 
This  affects  nitrogen  and  potash  especially.  It  is  important 
also  to  recognize  that  a large  portion  of  these  elements  is  in  the 
liquid  part  of  the  manure  and  that  it  is  necessary,  therefore,  to 
use  bedding  or  absorbents  freely  to  prevent  a considerable  loss. 
This  is  particularly  true  of  potash,  about  60  per  cent  of  which 
is  contained  in  the  liquid  manure. 

Ordinarily  the  best  practice  is  to  haul  the  manure  directly  to 
the  field.  When  this  is  not  practicable  the  pile  should  be  kept 
compact,  well  trodden  and  moist  as  it  can  be  through  the  use 
of  a slightly  saucer-shaped  manure  pit,  from  the  outer  sides  of 
which  the  ground  slopes  away  so  as  to  prevent  water  washing 
into  the  pit  itself.  In  this  climate  the  use  of  shelter  is  of  doubt- 
ful importance,  though  where  more  rains  occur,  particularly  in 
the  winter,  a shed  roof  is  very  helpful. 

The  rate  and  frequency  with  which  manure  is  applied  de- 
pends in  part  on  the  character  of  the  soil  on  the  farm.  On 
lighter  soils  more  frequent  applications  of  smaller  amounts  are 
desirable  than  on  heavier  soils.  Five  or  six  loads  per  acre  every 
third  year  are  desirable  on  the  sandy  loams,  while  eight  to 
twelve  or  more  every  fourth  or  even  fifth  year  may  be  used  to 
advantage  on  heavier  soils. 

CLIMATE. 

Almost  all  of  Rock  County  is  included  within  the  Rock  River 
Basin,  which  is  one  of  the  eight  climatic  provinces  in  Wiscon- 
sin. This  province  has  the  longest  growing  season  of  any  in 
the  State,  averaging  about  170  days,  which  is  as  long  as  that  of 
central  Illinois,  longer  than  that  of  central  Indiana  or  Ohio, 
and  about  equal  to  that  of  the  Valley  of  Virginia  and  that  of 
central  Maryland.  Weather  Bureau  records  taken  at  Beloit  in- 
dicate that  at  that  station  there  is  a growing  season  of  181  days 
free  from  frost. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  for  Rock  County  is  47.3°  F. 
The  winters  here  are  colder  than  along  the  lake,  and  the  spring 
and  summer  are  warmer.  This  section  is  the  best  corn  area  in 
the  state.  The  temperature  of  the  Rock  River  Basin  in  summer 
is  similar  to  that  of  northern  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio,  and  south- 
western Pennsylvania,  while  in  winter  it  is  comparable  with  that 
of  southern  Vermont,  northern  Iowa,  and  southern  Montana. 


76 


SOIL  SUBVEY  OF  BOCK  COUNTY 


On  seven  summer  days,  on  the  average,  each  year  the  ther- 
mometer may  go  as  high  as  90°  F.,  and  during  five  winter  morn- 
ings on  an  average  it  may  fall  to  10°  F.  below  zero  or  lower. 
The  highest  temperature  recorded  in  the  county  is  105°  F.,  and 
the  lowest  27°  below  zero.  Such  extremes  are  of  rare  occurrence 
and  of  short  duration. 

Records  at  Beloit  show  that  the  average  date  of  the  last  kill- 
ing frost  in  the  spring  is  April  20,  while  the  latest  date  of  kill- 
ing frost  recorded  is  May  20.  The  average  date  of  the  first 
killing  frost  in  the  fall  is  October  18,  while  the  earliest  date  of 
killing  frost  recorded  is  September  20. 

The  average  annual  rainfall  of  32.71  inches  is  normally  well 
distributed  throughout  the  year,  and  especially  during  the  grow- 
ing season  when  most  needed.  The  average  for  the  three  spring 
months  is  8.54  inches,  for  summer  11.31  inches,  and  for  fall  7.38 
inches.  It  is  true,  however,  that  during  July  and  August  there 
are  occasional  dry  spells,  during  which  crops  actually  suffer 
from  the  lack  of  moisture.  Dry  spells  may  occur  in  the  fall  also, 
but  as  the  crops  reach,  or  approach  maturity,  a reduction  in 
the  supply  of  soil  moisture  is  not  so  serious  a matter  as  when 
the  plants  are  making  the  main  part  of  their  growth.  While 
these  dry  spells  frequently  cause  a reduction  in  the  yields,  they 
have  never  been  so  severe  as  to  cause  even  an  approach  to  a 
crop  failure. 


AGRICULTURE  AND  CLIMATE  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 


77 


In  the  following  table  are  shown  the  more  important  climatic 
data  as  compiled  from  the  records  of  the  Weather  Bureau  sta- 
tion at  Beloit: 


TABLE  SHOWING  MEAN,  ANNUAL,  AND  SEASONAL  TEMPERATURE  AND  PRE 
CIPITATION  AT  BELOIT,  WIS. 

(Elevation  of  Station,  750  feet.) 

(Length  of  record,  17  years.) 


Month 

m mf 

Mean 

tempera- 

ture 

Highest 

tempera- 

ture 

Lowest 

tempera- 

ture 

Mean 

precipita- 

tion 

Average  number 
of  days  with 
.01  inch  or 
more  of  pre- 
cipitation 

Dfippmhpr 

24.0 

58.0 

—25 

1.89 

6 

January 

20.4 

59.0 

—27 

1.88 

17 

February 

19.9 

59.0 

—24 

1.71 

6 

Winter — 

21.4 

59.0 

—27 

5.43 

29 

March.. 

34.2 

80.0 

— 4 

2.21 

5 

April.  __  

47.5 

84.0 

18 

2.77 

6 

May . 

58.7 

91.0 

27 

3.56 

7 

Spring 

46.8 

91.0 

— 4 

8.54 

18 

June 

68.0 

98.0 

36 

4.05 

9 

July 

72.9 

105.0 

45 

3.65 

7 

August.. 

70.6 

97.0 

42 

3.61 

8 

Summer 

70.5 

105.0 

36 

11.31 

24 

September 

63.6 

94.0 

23 

3.39 

5 

October 

50.8 

86.0 

13 

2.08 

7 

November 

36.9 

69.0 

— 4 

1.91 

5 

Autumn 

57.1 

94.0 

— 4 

7.38 

17 

Mean  Annua] 

47.3 

105.0 

—27 

32.71 

71 

Average  length  of  growing  season,  181  days. 


78 


SOIL  SUEVEY  OF  BOCK  COUNTY 


SUMMARY. 

Rock  County  is  situated  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of  Wis- 
consin. It  has  an  area  of  716  square  miles,  or  458,240  acres. 

The  county  lies  entirely  within  the  drainage  system  of  Rock 
River.  The  topography  ranges  from  level  or  gently  undulating 
in  the  prairie  sections  to  hilly  and  broken  in  the  other  parts  of 
the  county. 

Rock  County  was  established  in  1836.  Settlement  began  in 
1835.  The  population  in  1920  was  66,150.  The  cities  within 
the  county  have  made  large  growth.  Janesville  grew  from 
13,894  in  1910  to  18,293  in  1920,  and  Beloit  grow  from  15,125 
in  1910  to  21,284  in  1920. 

The  entire  county  is  well  provided  with  both  railroads  and 
public  highways.  All  sections  are  well  settled. 

The  soils  in  Rock  County  are  derived  from  glacial  drift,  from 
the  underlying  rock  formations,  and  from  water-laid  materials. 
Ten  soils  series  including  twenty-two  types  in  addition  to  peat 
are  recognized. 

The  Miami  series,  which  is  the  most  extensive  in  the  county, 
consists  of  light-colored,  timbered  glacial  soils  carrying  consid- 
erable limestone  material.  The  silt  loam  occurs  in  large  areas, 
and  is  well  adapted  to  all  the  farm  crops  common  to  the  region. 
It  is  considered  the  best  soil  in  the  county  for  peas.  The  loam 
and  fine  sandy  loam,  while  not  equal  to  the  silt  loam,  give  good 
results  in  general  farming.  The  latter  is  well  suited  to  truck 
crops.  The  gravelly  loam  is  inextensive,  and  is  mostly  in  pas- 
ture. 

The  Carrington  series  comprises  dark-colored,  upland  prairie 
soils  derived  from  glaciated  limestone  material.  The  silt  loam 
is  extensively  developed,  and  constitutes  one  of  the  best  agricul- 
tural soils  in  the  state.  The  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam  are  good 
general  farming  soils.  The  gravelly  sandy  loam  is  mainly  in 
pasture. 

The  Knox  series  is  comprised  of  light-colored,  forested  upland 
soils  derived  in  part  from  limestone,  and  in  part  from  wind- 
blown material  mixed  in  places  with  old  glacial  material.  These 


SUMMABY 


79 


soils  are  well  suited  to  general  farm  crops  where  the  soil  is  deep 
and  the  surface  is  not  so  sloping  that  wash  and  gullying  in- 
terfere. 

The  Baxter  series  is  light-colored  soil  derived  from  the  under- 
lying limestone,  and  has  been  influenced  but  very  little  by  the 
addition  of  other  materials.  The  clay  loam  is  the  only  type 
mapped. 

The  Crawford  clay  loam  is  dark-colored,  upland  prairie  soil 
derived  from  limestone.  It  is  not  an  extensive  soil,  and  is  used 
for  general  farming.  Fair  yields  are  obtained. 

The  Boone  fine  sandy  loam  is  a light-colored  forested  soil  de- 
rived from  the  weathering  of  sandstone,  in  this  county  chiefly 
from  the  St.  Peter’s  sandstone.  It  is  of  fair  agricultural  value. 

The  Clyde  series  consists  of  dark-colored  soils  within  the 
glaciated  limestone  region,  originating  through  the  influence  of 
poor  drainage  and  the  accumulation  of  organic  matter  acting  on 
the  original  glacial  till  of  the  basins,  or  on  accumulations  of 
water-laid  material  washed  into  and  deposited  on  the  floors  of 
the  basins.  The  silt  loam,  which  is  extensively  developed  in 
Rock  County,  is  one  of  the  best  corn  soils  of  the  state  when 
properly  drained.  Small  areas  of  the  fine  sandy  loam  are  also 
found.  The  Clyde  soils  give  good  yields  of  corn  and  oats. 

The  Fox  loam  and  silt  loam  are  light-colored  forested  soils 
occurring  mainly  in  glaciated  limestone  regions  and  occupying 
outwash  plains  or  stream  terraces.  They  are  well  adapted  to 
the  general  farm  crops. 

The  Waukesha  series  comprises  dark-colored,  prairie  soils  de- 
rived from  reworked  glacial  material,  and  deposited  as  outwash 
plains  or  terraces.  The  silt  loam  is  an  extensive  soil  constitut- 
ing some  of  the  best  land  for  general  farming  in  Rock  County. 
Tobacco  and  sugar  beets  are  special  crops  which  do  very  well 
on  this  soil.  The  loam,  sandy  loam,  and  sand,  ranking  in  im- 
portance in  the  order  named,  are  used  for  general  farm  crops 
and  to  some  extent  for  truck  crops.  The  gravelly  loam  has  a 
steep  surface  and  is  of  limited  value. 

Peat  consists  of  vegetable  matter  in  various  stages  of  decom- 
position, mingled  with  varying  proportions  of  mineral  matter. 
The  drained  and  reclaimed  peat  makes  good  farm  land  when 
properly  fertilized. 

The  agriculture  of  Rock  County  consists  of  general  farming 


80 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  BOCK  COUNTY 


in  conjunction  with  dairying.  The  principal  crops  are  corn, 
oats,  barley,  clover,  timothy,  alfalfa,  rye,  buckwheat,  and  wheat. 
A number  of  special  crops  are  grown,  including  tobacco,  pota- 
toes, sugar  beets,  peas,  and  cabbage.  Hog  raising  is  developed 
rather  extensively,  and  some  beef  cattle  are  fed. 

Land  values  range  from  $40.00  an  acre  on  the  sandy  and 
* more  broken  acres  to  $300  in  the  most  highly  improved  sections. 

The  climatic  conditions  are  favorable  for  general  farming  and 
dairying.  The  mean  annual  temperature  is  reported  at  Beloit 
as  47.4°  F.,  and  the  mean  annual  precipitation  as  32.71  inches. 
There  is  a normal  growing  season  of  170  days  for  the  general 
region  of  Rock  County,  but  at  Beloit  records  show  a growing 
season  of  181  days  free  from  killing  frosts. 


7 

53C 


WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY 

ERNEST  F.  BEAN,  Director  and  State  Geologist 
A.  R.  WHITSON,  In  Charge  Division  of  Soils 

SOIL  SURVEY  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

H.  L.  RUSSELL,  Dean 


BULLETIN  NO.  53C  SOIL  SERIES  NO.  22 


SOIL  SURVEY 

OF 

GREEN  COUNTY 


BY 


A. 


R.  WHITSON,  T.  J.  DUNNEWALD,  M.  J.  EDWARDS,  WALTER  VOSQUJL 
AND  KENNETH  WHITSON  OF  THE  WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL 
AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY,  AND  A.  C,  ANDER- 
SON AND  F.  J.  O’CONNELL  OF  THE  U.  S. 

BUREAU  OF  CHEMISTRY  AND  SOILS 


SURVEY  CONDUCTED  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNITED 
STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU  OF  CHEMISTRY  AND  SOILS 


rl 


PUBLISHED  BY  STATE 
1930 


WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY 

ERNEST  F.  BEAN,  Director  and  State  Geologist 
A.  R.  WHITSON,  In  Charge  Division  of  Soils 

SOIL,  SURVEY  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

H.  L.  RUSSELL,  Dean 


BULLETIN  NO.  53C  SOIL  SERIES  NO.  22 


SOIL  SURVEY 


OF 

GREEN  COUNTY 


BY 

A.  R.  WHITSON,  T.  J.  DUNNEWALD,  M.  J.  EDWARDS,  WALTER  VOSQUIL 
AND  KENNETH  WHITSON  OF  THE  WISCONSIN  GEOLOGICAL 
AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY,  AND  A.  C.  ANDER- 
SON AND  F.  J.  O’CONNELL  OF  THE  U.  S. 

BUREAU  OF  CHEMISTRY  AND  SOILS 


SURVEY  CONDUCTED  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  UNITED 
STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU  OF  CHEMISTRY  AND  SOILS 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  the 

APR  2 6 133/ 

UNIVERSITY  OF  iLlirjoi 


PUBLISHED  BY  STATE 
1930 


GEOLOGY 


GEOLOGICAL  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVEY 


BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS 

Walter  J.  Kohler, 

Governor  of  the  State. 

Glenn  Frank,  President 

President  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin. 

John  Callahan,  Vice-President, 

State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

Charles  E.  Allen,  Secretary, 

President  of  the  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences,  Art, 
and  Letters. 


STAFF  OF  THE  SURVEY 
ADMINISTRATION: 

Ernest  F.  Bean,  State  Geologist,  Director  and  Superintendent. 

In  immediate  charge  of  the  Geology  Division. 

Henry  R.  Aldrich,  Assistant  State  Geologist. 

Lillian  M.  Veerhusen,  Chief  Clerk. 

Gertrude  A.  Hehl,  Junior  Clerk-Stenographer. 

GEOLOGY  DIVISION: 

Ernest  F.  Bean,  In  charge. 

Henry  R.  Aldrich,  Assistant  State  Geologist. 

James  M.  Hansell,  Geologist. 

William  C.  Alden,  Consulting  Geologist,  Pleistocene  Geology. 
Edward  0.  Ulrich,  Consulting  Geologist,  Stratigraphy,  by  co- 
operation of  the  U.  S.  G.  S'. 

Ray  Hughes  Whitbeck,  Geographer. 

Fredrik  T.  Thwaites,  Geologist,  Well  Records  and  Pleistocene 
Geology. 

Lawrence  Martin,  Consulting  Geologist,  Physical  Geography. 

NATURAL  HISTORY  DIVISION: 

Edward  A.  Birge,  In  charge. 

Chancey  Juday,  Lake  Survey. 

Frank  J.  Meyers,  Rotifera. 

Villiers  M.  Meloche,  Chemistry. 

DIVISION  OF  SOILS: 

Andrew  R.  Whitson,  In  charge. 

Warren  J.  Geib,  Editor  and  Chief  of  Field  Parties. 

Harold  H.  Hull,  Field  Assistant  and  Analyst. 

Kenneth  Ableiter,  Field  Assistant. 

Margaret  Stitgen,  Stenographer. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Page 

Table  of  Contents 3 

Illustrations  6 

Introduction  7 

Soil  Classification  8 

CHAPTER  I 

General  Description  of  Area,  Climate,  and  Soils 11 

Topography  11 

Climate  __ 12 

Soil  Formations  14 

CHAPTER  II 

Soil  Improvement  19 

Part  1 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement  of  Silt 

Loam  Soils  19 

Application  of  Phosphates 22 

Potassium  in  the  Soil 23 

Nitrogen  in  the  Soil 25 

Relation  of  Crops  to  Chemical  Content  of  Soils  27 

Use  of  Commercial  Fertilizers 27 

Permanent  Pasture  28 

Soil  Erosion 30 

Gullies  31 

Bottom  land  32 

Part  2 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement  of  Loams 

and  Fine  Sandy  Loams 32 

Part  3 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement  of  Sandy 

Soils  34 

Part  4 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement  of  Poorly 

Drained  Soils  36 

Improvement  of  Peat  Soils 38 


4 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  III 

Page 

Group  of  Silt  Loam  Soils 39 

Knox  Silt  Loam 39 

Knox  Silt  Loam,  deep  phase 41 

Knox  Silt  Loam,  steep  phase  42 

Dodgeville  Silt  Loam  43 

Dodgeville  Silt  Loam,  deep  phase  . 45 

Dodgeville  Silt  Loam,  steep  phase 46 

Carrington  Silt  Loam  47 

Carrington  Silt  Loam,  gravelly  phase  48 

Carrington  Silt  Loam,  steep  phase  49 

Miami  Silt  Loam 49 

Fox  Silt  Loam 50 

Waukesha  Silt  Loam  51 

Lintonia  Silt  Loam 52 

Rough  Broken  Land 53 

CHAPTER  IV 

Group  of  Loams  and  Fine  Sandy  Loams 55 

Knox  Loam 55 

Knox  Loam,  steep  phase 55 

Dodgeville  Fine  Sandy  Loam  55 

Dodgeville  Fine  Sandy  Loam,  steep  phase 56 

Boone  Loam  57 

Boone  Loam,  steep  phase 57 

Boone  Fine  Sandy  Loam  58 

Boone  Fine  Sandy  Loam,  steep  phase 59 

Miami  Loam ' 59 

Miami  Loam,  steep  phase 61 

Miami  Fine  Sandy  Loam 61 

Fox  Loam 62 

Fox  Fine  Sandy  Loam  63 

Waukesha  Fine  Sandy  Loam 63 

CHAPTER  V 

Group  of  Sandy  Soils 65 

Waukesha  Sandy  Loam 65 

Waukesha  Sand 66 

Fox  Sandy  Loam 66 

Plainfield  Sand  67 

Coloma  Sand  68 

Rodman  Gravelly  Loam  68 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


5 


CHAPTER  VI 

Page 

Group  of  Poorly  Drained  Soils 70 

Clyde  Silt  Loam  70 

Clyde  Loam  71 

Wabash  Silt  Loam  72 

Wabash  Silt  Loam,  better  drained  phase 73 

Wabash  Loam  73 

Peat  74 

Peat,  Shallow  Phase 75 

CHAPTER  VII 

Agricultural  Development  of  Green  County 77 

History  of  Settlement,  Transportation,  and  Markets 77 

Farm  Products  and  Agricultural  Statistics 78 

Agricultural  Data 80 

Adaptation  of  .Crops  to  Soils 80 

Farm  Equipment  81 

Farm  Tenure  and  Labor 82 

Land  Values 82 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Page 


Fig.  1.  Good  pasture  is  the  best  and  most  economical  summer 
feed  for  dairy  cattle  and  it  is  the  best  means  of 
prevention  of  erosion  on  steep  hillsides.  It  re- 
quires fertilization  to  replace  plant  food  removed  by 
grazing 24 

Fig.  2.  Brown  Swiss  cattle  owned  by  dairymen  of  Swiss  de- 
scent are  quite  at  home  in  Green  County 24 

Fig.  3.  Residual  soil  formed  from  limestone  rock  which  it  over- 
lies.  The  surface  soil  is  acid  because  of  downward 
leaching  of  lime 40 

Fig.  4.  A typical  view  on  the  rolling  hills  of  Green  County 40 

Fig.  5.  A view  of  the  Valley  of  Pecatonica  River 60 

Fig.  6.  View  of  New  Glarus  where  the  Swiss  made  their  first 

settlement  60 

Fig.  7.  A few  trees  are  needed  for  shade,  but  a good  woodlot 
cannot  be  maintained  if  cattle  are  allowed  to  roam 
through  it  at  will,  destroying  seedlings 69 


INTRODUCTION 


The  State  of  Wisconsin,  working  in  cooperation  wkn  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  is  making  a care- 
ful study  of  soils  and  agricultural  conditions  throughout 
Wisconsin  and  is  preparing  soil  maps  and  soil  reports  of  all 
counties  in  the  state.  A soil  map  shows  the  location  and 
extent  of  the  different  kinds  of  soil.  Tracts  of  10  acres  and 
more  are  mapped,  but  often  areas  of  even  smaller  extent- 
are  shown.  The  soil  map  is  prepared  by  trained  men  who 
go  over  a county  thoroughly,  and  examine  the  soil  by  mak- 
ing a sufficient  number  of  borings  to  a depth  of  36  inches 
to  take  account  of  all  variations.  A report  is  also  made,  to 
accompany  and  explain  the  map,  and  this  is  based  upon  a 
careful  study  of  the  soils  within  the  region  surveyed  and 
upon  such  other  features  as  have  a direct  bearing  upon  the 
agriculture  of  the  area. 

It  is  the  object  of  this  survey  to  make  an  inventory  of  the 
soils  of  the  state,  and  to  be  of  practical  help  to  farmers  by 
locating  and  describing  the  different  soils,  by  determining 
their  physical  character  and  chemical  composition,  and  by 
offering  suggestions  for  their  management,  based  upon  the 
work  of  the  Soil  Survey  within  the  area  covered  in  the  re- 
port, and  upon  the  results  of  field  tests  made  by  the  Ex- 
periment Station, 

Soil  fertility  depends  upon  two  factors:  First,  upon  the 

physical  characteristics  of  the  soil,  such  as  water-holding 
capacity,  work  ability,  etc.,  and  second,  upon  the  chemical 
composition  of  the  material  composing  the  soil.  The  chem- 
ical composition  depends  upon  the  mode  of  origin  of  the 
soil  and  the  source  of  material  from  which  the  soil  is  de- 
rived. 

Water-holding  capacity  and  other  physical  properties  of 
soil  all  depend  chiefly  upon  texture,  which  refers  to  the  size 
of  the  individual  soil  grains,  or  particles.  A coarse 


8 


INTRODUCTION 


sandy  soil,  for  example,  will  not  retain  moisture  as  long  as 
a loam  soil,  or  clay  loam,  because  the  finer  the  soil  grains, 
the  greater  will  be  the  total  soil  grain  surface  area  to  which 
moisture  may  adhere. 

Texture  is  determined  in  the  field  by  rubbing  the  soil  be- 
tween the  thumb  and  fingers,  and  with  experience  one  soon 
becomes  expert  at  judging  the  size  of  soil  grains.  This 
field  judgment  is  verified  in  the  laboratory  by  a mechanical 
analysis,  which  is  made  by  a method  of  separating  soil 
grains  into  seven  different  groups.  These  are  known  as 
clay,  silt,  very  fine  sand,  fine  sand,  medium  sand,  coarse 
sand,  and  fine  gravel. 

A chemical  analysis  is  also  made  of  the  soil  to  determine 
the  amounts  of  various  essential  plant  food  elements  which 
are  present.  A chemical  analysis  shows  whether  the  soil 
contains  a large  store  of  plant  food  or  only  a small  quantity, 
and  it  indicates  which  kinds  of  plant  food  will  probably  be 
needed  first.  The  amount  of  organic  matter  in  the  soil  is 
also  determined,  and  tests  are  made  to  show  conditions  rel- 
ative to  soil  acidity. 

Soil  Classification 

Soils  are  grouped  according  to  texture  into  soil  classes,  a 
soil  class  being  made  up  of  soils  having  the  same  texture, 
though  differing  in  other  respects.  A certain  fine  sand,  for 
example,  may  be  light  colored  and  of  alluvial  origin, 
another  fine  sand  may  be  dark  in  color  and  of  residual  or- 
igin, while  a third  fine  sand  may  have  been  blown  into  sand 
dunes  by  the  wind ; yet  all  of  these  soils  would  belong  to  the 
same  class  because  the  greater  proportion  of  the  soil  grains 
have  the  same  size  or  texture.  Thus  we  may  have  differ- 
ent kinds  of  clays,  loams,  sands,  etc.,  and  the  class  to  which 
any  soil  will  belong  depends  upon  the  size  of  the  individual 
soil  grains  of  which  it  is  composed,  and  not  upon  its  color, 
origin,  topographic  position,  or  agricultural  value. 

SOIL  CLASSES 

Soils  Containing  Less  Than  20%  Silt  and  Clay 

1.  Sand — Over  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse  and  medium  sand,  and  less 

than  50%  fine  sand. 

2.  Fine  sand — Over  50%  fine  sand,  or  less  than  25%  fine  gravel, 

coarse  and  medium  sand. 


INTRODUCTION 


9 


Soils  Containing  Between  20-50%  of  Silt  and  Clay 

3.  Sandy  loam — Over  25%  fine  gravel,  coarse  and  medium  sand. 

4.  Fine  sandy  loam — Over  50'%  fine  sand,  or  less  than  25%  fine 

gravel,  coarse,  and  medium  sand. 

Soils  Containing  More  Than  50%  of  Silt  and  Clay 

5.  Loam — Less  than  20%  clay,  and  less  than  50%  silt. 

6.  Silt  loam — Less  than  20%  clay,  and  over  50%  silt. 

7.  Clay  loam — Between  20  and  30%  clay,  and  less  than  50%  silt. 

8.  Clay — Over  30%  clay. 

Soils  may  be  grouped  in  another  way.  Where  soils  are 
closely  related  through  similar  sources  of  the  material  from 
which  derived,  mode  of  origin,  topographic  position,  etc.,  so 
that  the  different  soils  constitute  merely  a graduation  in 
texture  of  otherwise  uniform  material,  such  a group  is 
called  a “soil  series.”  It  corresponds  to  the  family  which 
is  made  up  of  different  individuals  having  the  same  parent- 
age. The  Miami  series,  for  example,  includes  light  col- 
ored, glacial  soils,  where  the  soils  have  been  derived  largely 
from  the  underlying  limestone,  and  the  soils  in  the  series 
range  in  texture  from  a clay  loam  to  sand  and  gravel  with 
heavy  types  predominating.  The  Plainfield  series  includes 
light  colored  soils  in  regions  where  no  limestone  is  present, 
and  where  the  material  occurs  as  outwash  plains  or  stream 
terraces.  The  soils  in  this  series  also  have  a wide  range  in 
texture,  but  sandy  types  predominate.  The  name  used  for 
a soil  series  usually  indicates  the  locality  where  that  par- 
ticular series  was  first  recognized  and  mapped  by  the  Soil 
Survey. 

By  uniting  the  name  of  the  soil  class,  which  refers  to  tex- 
ture, with  the  name  of  the  soil  series,  which  refers  chiefly 
to  origin,  we  get  the  soil  type,  which  is  the  basis  or  unit  of 
classifying  and  mapping  soils.  A soil  type,  thus,  is  a soil 
which  is  uniform  throughout  its  entire  extent  in  texture, 
color,  topographic  position,  and  other  physical  properties, 
and  which  has  a distinct  agricultural  unity — that  is,  it  is 
adapted  to  the  same  crops  and  requires  the  same  treatment. 
It  is  also  uniform  in  the  source  of  material  from  which  it  is 
derived  and  the  mode  of  origin,  which,  taken  together,  de- 
termine the  chemical  composition.  Since  the  soil  type  is  the 
unit  in  classifying  and  mapping  soils  and  the  basis  upon 
which  experimental  work  should  be  conducted,  every  farmer 


10 


INTRODUCTION 


should  be  familiar  with  the  soil  types  on  his  farm,  and  their 
leading  characteristics.  It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  show 
minor  variations  in  types  where  a portion  of  the  type  is 
more  stony  than  the  rest,  or  less  well  drained,  or  has  a 
steeper  slope.  Such  minor  portions  are  mapped  as  phases. 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


CHAPTER  I 

GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  AREA,  CLIMATE, 
AND  SOILS 

Green  County  is  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of  Wiscon- 
sin bordering  the  Wisconsin-Illinois  boundary  line.  It 
comprises  an  area  of  585  square  miles  or  374,400  acres. 
Monroe,  the  county  seat,  is  36.5  miles  from  Madison  and 
138  miles  from  Chicago. 

Topography 

Green  County  consists,  topographically,  of  an  undulating 
plain,  the  upland  surface  of  which  lies  at  an  elevation  of 
about  1,100  feet  The  old  elevated  plain  was  level.  The 
dissection  or  erosion  has  been  carried  so  far  that  the  water- 
shed ridges  are  narrow  and  irregular.  They  are  as  a rule 
rounded  and,  where  wide  enough,  have  good  soil  on  top.  In 
the  western  part  of  the  county  the  valleys  are  deeper  and 
slopes  steeper  than  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  area.  The 
city  of  Monroe  is  located  on  a remnant  of  the  old  table  land 
which  covers  a few  square  miles,  the  largest  in  the  area. 
In  a few  other  places  the  ridges  widen  to  about  one  mile. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  Sugar  River  has  not 
only  cut  a valley  into  the  plain  but  has,  through  the  work  of 
its  lateral  streams,  developed  a rather  broad  belt  of  undu- 
lating lowland  on  both  sides  of  the  stream.  The  surface  of 
this  lowland  lies  well  above  the  level  of  the  alluvial  plain  of 
the  river,  but  is  clearly  the  product  of  erosion.  It  extends 
along  the  main  stream  across  the  county,  although  tongues 
extend  up  the  valleys  to  the  tributary  streams  as  blunt- 


12 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


ended  lowlands  separated  one  from  another  by  the  projec- 
tion of  the  upland  inward  along  the  watershed  between  the 
tributaries.  Owing  to  the  geological  structures  and  strati- 
graphic character  and  succession  of  beds,  the  slope  from 
the  lowland  to  the  upland  is  rapid  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
slope  and  more  gradual  belowT,  merging  imperceptibily  into 
the  undulating  lowland. 

Somewhat  the  same  features  have  been  developed  along 
Little  Sugar  River  and  in  places  along  Pecatonica  River. 
The  rest  of  the  area,  with  the  exception  of  a small  part  of 
the  northeastern  corner,  consists  merely  of  a well-dissected 
plain. 

A small  area  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  county 
was  run  over  by  the  ice  sheet  of  the  Wisconsin  glacial 
period.  Its  relief  is  smoother  than  the  rest  of  the  region 
as  a whole. 

A special  study  was  made  of  the  land  in  two  representa- 
tive townships  in  the  county:  Decatur  township,  which 

represents  the  smoothest  or  least  rolling  land,  and  York 
township,  typical  of  the  roughest  part  of  the  county.  The 
following  table  gives  the  classification  and  proportionate 
extent  of  each  class  of  land  in  these  townships  and  shows 
the  effect  of  glaciation  on  the  topography  of  the  land: 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  LAND  IN  YORK  AND  DECATUR 
TOWNSHIPS  ON  THE  BASIS  OF  SURFACE  RELIEF 


Class 

Description 

Proportion 

ate  extent 

York 

Township 

non- 

glacia- 

ted 

Decatur 

Township 

glacia- 

ted 

Per  cent 

Per  cent 

A 

Level  to  gently  undulating  (in eluding  wet  lands) 

8.0 

53.0 

B 

Undulating  to  gently  rolling.  .... 

58.0 

38.5 

C 

Rolling  to  hilly.  . . 

25.0 

5.5 

D 

Steep,  rough,  and  broken  land, — mostly  rough  stony 

land . . 

9.0 

3.0 

Green  County  is  entirely  within  the  drainage  basin  of 
Rock  River,  and  the  county  is  well  drained  by  Sugar  and 
Pecatonica  Rivers  which  come  together  in  Illinois  before 
entering  Rock  River  near  Rockton.  The  alluvial  flood 
plains  along  the  streams  are  the  only  poorly  drained  land. 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA 


13 


Climate* 

Nearly  all  of  Green  County  is  located  within  the  southern 
highlands,  one  of  the  eight  climatic  provinces  in  Wisconsin. 
“Southern  highlands”  is  a term  used  to  include  the  rough 
or  rolling  region,  mostly  over  1,000  feet  in  elevation,  which 
extends  from  Clark  County  south  to  the  Illinois  line  and  lies 
between  the  Mississippi  Valley  on  the  west  and  the  Wiscon- 
sin and  Rock  River  valleys  on  the  east.  It  is  characterized 
by  a somewhat  cooler  temperature  than  the  adjoining  val- 
leys, the  summer  temperature  being  similar  to  that  along 
the  Lake  Michigan  shore,  and  the  mean  winter  tempera- 
ture about  4°  lower  than  along  the  Lake  Michigan  shore. 
The  frost-free  season,  averaging  145  days,  is  apparently 
from  10  to  20  days  shorter  than  on  the  lower  land  of  the 
State  in  the  same  latitude;  and  in  the  river  valleys  and  ra- 
vines in  this  region  the  frost  danger  is  still  greater,  the  re- 
cords there  showing  an  average  frost-free  period  of  140 
days.  In  some  years  corn  fails  to  mature,  and  the  use  of 
land  for  pasturage  and  hay  production  is  encouraged  both 
by  the  surface  relief  and  the  heavier  rainfall. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  at  Brodhead,  as  shown  by 
the  accompanying  table,  is  47.3°  F.  with  an  absolute  maxi- 
mum of  111°  and  a minimum  of  — 33°.  Although  these  tem- 
peratures are  extreme,  they  are  of  very  short  duration  and 
seldom  occur.  The  average  annual  rainfall  at  Brodhead  is 
33.77  inches,  and  the  average  snowfall  33.4  inches.  The 
prevailing  winds  are  from  the  southwest.  Rainfall  is  well 
distributed  throughout  the  growing  season  when  it  is  most 
needed. 

The  average  date  of  the  last  killing  frost  in  the  spring  is 
May  3,  and  the  average  date  of  the  first  in  the  fall  is  Oc- 
tober 8.  The  latest  recorded  frost  in  spring  occurred  on 
May  25  and  the  earliest  in  the  fall  on  September  11. 

The  following  table,  compiled  from  data  of  the  Weather 
Bureau  station  at  Brodhead,  gives  the  normal  monthly,  sea- 
sonal, and  annual  temperature  and  precipitation  at  that 
place : 


For  further  information  on  climate  see  Exp.  Sta.  Bulletin  223. 


14 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


NORMAL  MONTHLY,  SEASONAL,  AND  ANNUAL  TEMPERATURE  AND 
PRECIPITATION  AT  BRODHEAD 

(Elevation,  812  feet) 


Month 

1 

[’emperatur 

e 

Precipitation 

Mean 

Absolute 

maximum 

Absolute 

minimum 

Mean 

Total 
amount 
for  the 
driest 
year 
(1901) 

Total 
amount 
for  the 
wettest 
year 
(1907) 

Snow, 

Average 

depth 

°F. 

°F. 

°F. 

Inches 

Inches 

Inches 

Inches 

December 

23.1 

62 

— 26 

1.55 

1.16 

1.23 

7.9 

January. 

19.0 

60 

— 33 

1.44 

1.47 

3.13 

8.4 

February  

19.4 

56 

—31 

1.56 

1.30 

.40 

8.0 

Winter  __  . 

20.5 

62 

—33 

4.55 

3.93 

4.76 

24.3 

March  _ . 

34.6 

84 

—13 

2.33 

2.83 

2.13 

5.4 

April.  — 

47.5 

89 

15 

2.91 

.75 

3.61 

1.9 

May.  _ — . 

59.0 

95 

24 

4.11 

2.89 

2.64 

Trace 

Spring 

47.0 

95 

—13 

9.35 

6.47 

8.38 

7.3 

June . . 

67.8 

103 

34 

3.95 

1.43 

4.71 

.0 

July 

73.4 

111 

40 

4.04 

3.83 

9,37 

.0 

August  _ . . 

70.8 

103 

35 

3.46 

.46 

4.21 

.0 

Summer 

70.7 

111 

34 

11.45 

5.72 

18.29 

.0 

September. 

63.3 

100 

20 

4.09 

3.30 

7.83 

.0 

October 

51.9 

• 87 

15 

2.49 

1.57 

1.25 

November. 

37.6 

77 

— 4 

1.84 

.83 

1.38 

Fall.  . . 

50.9 

Year  

47.3 

Soil  Formations 

Limestone  and  sandstone  form  the  rock  floor  of  Green 
County.  The  youngest  and  uppermost  formation  includes 
the  Black  River  and  Galena  limestones  which  form  the  bed- 
rock over  most  of  the  southern  and  western  parts  of  the 
county.  The  two  formations,  being  very  similar,  are  usu- 
ally spoken  of  together.  A lower  formation,  St.  Peter 
sandstone,  predominates  over  most  of  the  remainder  of  the 
county,  giving  rise  to  sandy  soils  in  numerous  places.  The 
lower  magnesian  limestone,  lying  below  this  sandstone,  is 
the  uppermost  rock  formation  in  the  vicinity  of  Sugar  Riv- 
er, and  it  gives  rise  to  heavier  types  of  soil.  All  of  these 
rocks  have  contributed  to  some  extent  to  the  soils  of  the 
region. 

The  eastern  part — approximately  half  of  county — is  in- 
cluded within  the  area  of  pre-Wisconsin  glacial  drift.  This 
drift  is  thin  and  has  not  influenced  the  soils  to  as  great  an 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA 


15 


extent  as  has  the  late  Wisconsin  glaciation  in  southeastern 
Wisconsin.  The  western  part  of  the  county  is  unglaciated 
and  rough. 

Soils  of  silt  loam  texture  make  up  nearly  90  per  cent  of 
the  land  surface  of  Green  County,  exclusive  of  rough  bro- 
ken land  and  peat.  Beneath  the  silty  surface  layer  of  the 
well  drained  upland  soils  is  a layer  of  heavier  material, 
usually  silty  clay  loam,  from  12  to  20  inches  thick,  begin- 
ning at  from  8 to  15  inches  below  the  surface.  This  sub- 
soil layer  is  underlain  by  the  partly  weathered  parent  ma- 
terial, which  in  Green  County  may  be  either  disintegrated 
limestone,  sandstone,  or  glacial  drift,  or  stratified,  water- 
laid  deposits.  This  is  the  normal  texture  profile  of  this 
region  and  other  regions  which  are  similar  in  soil-forming 
agencies  and  processes. 

The  color  of  the  surface  soil  over  the  well  drained  up- 
lands is  not  so  uniform  as  is  the  texture.  In  fact,  two  dis- 
tinct soil  groups,  based  on  fundamental  color  differences, 
are  represented  in  the  county;  one  group  is  made  up  of 
comparatively  light  colored  soils,  and  the  other  of  dark  col- 
ored soils,  the  dark  color  extending  to  depths  ranging  from 
8 to  12  inches.  These  soils  are  intermingled  throughout 
the  county.  Soils  of  the  light  colored  group,  represented 
by  the  Knox  and  Miami  soils,  and  others  of  minor  extent, 
are  generally  on  the  areas  originally  covered  by  forest;  the 
dark  colored  soils,  represented  by  the  Dodgeville  and  Car- 
rington series,  are  prairie  soils.  Poorly  drained  mineral 
soils  are  all  very  dark  colored  or  nearly  black.  They  total 
a considerable  area,  particularly  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  the  origin  of  soil  materials, 
there  are  at  least  six  different  kinds  of  soils  in  Green  Coun- 
ty— residual,  loessial,  glacial,  alluvial,  colluvial,  and  marsh. 
Some  of  the  soil-forming  material  has  been  modified  in 
various  ways  since  it  was  first  formed  or  deposited.  In  the 
soil  survey  of  Green  County,  these  soils  have  been  classed 
into  13  soil  series  which  include  24  soil  types  and  14  phases, 
exclusive  of  peat  and  rough  broken  land. 

The  Knox  series  includes  light  colored  upland  forested 
soils  which  have  developed  from  material  originating  from 
the  weathering  of  limestone.  These  soils  have  silty  or 


16 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


loesslike  surface  layers.  Two  soil  types,  Knox  silt  loam, 
with  a deep  phase  and  a steep  phase,  and  Knox  loam,  with 
a steep  phase,  were  mapped. 

The  Dodgeville  series  includes  dark  colored  prairie  soils 
developed  from  the  same  parent  material  as  Knox  soils. 
Two  soil  types,  Dodgeville  silt  loam,  with  a deep  phase  and 
a steep  phase,  and  Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loam,  with  a steep 
phase,  were  mapped. 

Boone  soils  are  light  colored  soils  usually  of  sandy  tex- 
ture, derived  from  the  weathering  of  sandstone.  Boone 
loam  and  Boone  fine  sandy  loam,  each  with  a steep  phase, 
were  mapped. 

Carrington  soils  are  dark  colored  prairie  soils  derived 
from  calcareous  glacial  drift.  Carrington  silt  loam,  with  a 
gravelly  phase  and  a steep  phase,  was  mapped  in  Green 
County. 

The  Miami  series  includes  light  colored  upland  forested 
soils  derived  from  deeply  leached  calcareous  glacial  drift. 
Three  members  of  this  series  were  mapped : Miami  silt 

loam,  loam,  with  a steep  phase,  and  fine  sandy  loam. 

The  Fox  series  includes  light  colored  soils  on  terraces  or 
outwash  plains  chiefly  in  the  region  of  glacial  drift.  The 
material  has  all  been  reworked  and  redeposited  by  water 
but  now  exists  above  present  overflow.  The  members 
mapped  in  Green  County  are  silt  loam,  loam,  fine  sandy 
loam,  and  sandy  loam. 

Clyde  soils  are  dark  colored  soils  in  poorly  drained  de- 
pressions on  the  glaciated  upland.  In  places  the  series  was 
extended  to  include  some  material  which  was  water-laid. 
Two  soil  types,  Clyde  silt  loam  and  Clyde  loam,  were 
mapped  in  this  county. 

The  Waukesha  series  includes  dark  colored  prairie  soils 
on  outwash  plains  or  stream  terraces  well  above  present 
overflow.  The  parent  material  is  water-laid.  Four  mem- 
bers of  the  series,  Waukesha  silt  loam,  fine  sandy  loam, 
sandy  loam,  and  sand  were  mapped. 

Wabash  soils  are  dark  colored,  poorly  drained  first-bot- 
tom soils,  subject  to  annual  flooding.  Two  soil  types,  Wa- 
bash silt  loam  with  a colluvial  phase  and  Wabash  loam, 
were  mapped  in  Green  County. 

The  Lintonia  series  includes  light  colored  soils  derived 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  AREA 


17 


from  alluvial  and  colluvial  material  in  the  region  where 
Knox  soils  form  the  higher-lying  lands.  These  soils  occur 
at  the  base  of  slopes,  and  the  surface  is  level  or  only  gently 
sloping  toward  the  stream  bed.  They  may  also  occur  on 
terraces  in  the  loessial  country,  in  which  case  they  corre- 
spond very  closely  to  soils  of  the  Fox  series  except  that  they 
are  outside  the  glacial  region.  Lintonia  silt  loam  was  the 
only  member  of  this  series  mapped  in  Green  County. 

Rough  broken  land  includes  steep,  rough,  broken,  or  ex- 
tremely stony  land  which  is  practically  non-agricultural.  In 
some  places  it  consists  entirely  of  rock  outcrops,  but  in  other 
places  there  is  considerable  soil  material  although  the 
surface  is  very  steep. 

The  Plainfield  series  includes  light  colored  sandy  soils 
which  occur  on  terraces  or  outwash  plains.  The  parent  ma- 
terial is  largely  sand.  Plainfield  sand  is  the  only  member 
mapped. 

The  Coloma  series  includes  light  colored  upland  soils 
whose  parent  material  is  glacial  drift  which  has  developed 
chiefly  from  sandstone.  Coloma  sand  is  the  only  soil  of 
this  series  mapped  in  Green  County. 

The  Rodman  series  includes  the  gravelly,  stony  glacial 
drift  material  which  occurs  chiefly  as  kames  and  eskers 
where  the  surface  is  very  rough  and  where  little  soil  has 
developed.  Rodman  gravelly  loam  is  the  only  member  of 
this  series  mapped. 

Peat  consists  of  vegetable  matter  in  varying  stages  of 
decomposition  with  which  small  quantities  of  mineral  mat- 
ter have  been  mixed.  Peat,  with  a shallow  phase,  was 
mapped  in  Green  County. 

The  following  table  gives  the  acreage  and  proportionate 
extent  of  each  soil  type  mapped  in  Green  County : 


ACREAGE  AND  PROPORTIONATE  EXTENT  OF  TYPES  OF  SOIL 


18 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


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SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


19 


CHAPTER  II 
SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 

Part  1 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement  of 
Silt  Loam  Soils 

This  group  includes  the  Knox,  Dodgeville,  Carrington, 
Miami,  Lintonia,  Fox  and  Waukesha  silt  loams  and  their 
deep  and  steep  phases. 

These  soils  are  quite  similar  in  the  texture  and  structure 
of  the  surface  soil  and  in  some  cases  in  the  upper  portion  of 
the  subsoil  as  well.  There  are  some  marked  differences  in 
the  character  of  the  deep  subsoil.  The  most  marked  differ- 
ence in  the  group,  however,  is  in  color.  The  Carrington, 
Dodgeville  and  Waukesha  soils  are  dark  colored  prairie 
types  while  the  Knox,  Miami,  Lintonia  and  Fox  soils  are 
light  colored  timbered  soils  rather  low  in  organic  matter. 
The  types  of  the  group  are  sufficiently  related  in  agricul- 
tural value,  adaptation,  etc.,  so  that,  with  a few  exceptions, 
methods  for  the  improvement  of  one  will  apply  to  the  oth- 
ers. 

The  four  elements  of  plant  food  with  which  the  farmer 
is  most  concerned  in  his  farming  operations,  and  the  ones 
which  are  the  most  likely  to  be  deficient,  are  nitrogen,  phos- 
phorus, potassium,  and  lime  or  calcium.  He  should  know 
the  part  which  each  plays  in  the  development  of  the  plant 
and  the  best  methods  for  maintaining  an  adequate  supply 
in  the  soil. 

The  soil  has  been  leaching  for  a large  number  of  years 
and  has  lost  much  of  the  lime  which  it  may  have  contained. 
Varying  degrees  of  acidity  have  developed  over  the  entire 
region.  The  loss  of  lime  from  the  soil  is  caused  by  two  dis- 
tinct factors,  both  of  which  are  important.  Crops  require 
lime  in  their  growth.  A five-ton  crop  of  alfalfa  requires 
one  hundred  and  eighty-five  pounds  of  lime,  and  two  tons  of 
red  clover  removes  61.6  pounds.  A much  larger  amount  is 


20 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


removed  by  leaching  each  year,  and  these  losses  must  be 
made  up  by  the  application  of  lime  in  order  to  maintain 
the  fertility  of  this  soil. 

Failure  of  clover  and  alfalfa  is  in  many  places  an  indica- 
tion of  the  need  of  lime.  About  3 tons  of  ground  limestone 
to  the  acre  is  the  usual  application  on  soils  where  alfalfa  is 
to  be  grown,  and  2 tons  where  clover  is  seeded.  The 
amount  to  be  used,  however,  may  vary  with  the  degree  of 
acidity,  the  character  of  the  soil,  and  the  crop  to  be  grown. 
Such  crops  as  alfalfa,  sweet  clover,  peas,  cabbage,  onions, 
and  lettuce  have  a high  lime  requirement;  clover,  garden 
beans,  barley,  hemp,  turnips,  and  radishes  have  a medium 
lime  requirement;  and  vetch,  white  clover,  oats,  rye,  blue- 
grass,  potatoes,  and  sorgo  (sweet  sorghum)  a low  lime  re- 
quirement. As  a rule,  heavy  acid  soils  need  more  lime  than 
sandy  soils  showing  the  same  degree  of  acidity.  Where  a 
liberal  supply  of  manure  is  available,  the  need  for  lime  will 
not  be  so  great.  The  second  application  which  may  be 
needed  after  six  or  seven  years  may  be  less  than  the  first. 
The  greater  need  will  usually  be  on  the  higher  places  rather 
than  on  the  lower  slopes. 

Ground  limestone  is  doubtless  the  most  economical  form 
of  lime  for  extensive  use  in  Green  County.  Lime  should  be 
applied  to  plowed  land  in  fall,  winter,  or  spring,  previous  to 
planting,  and  thoroughly  worked  in  by  harrowing.  Lime 
or  manure  spreaders  may  be  used.  An  application  of  3 
tons  of  ground  limestone  for  alfalfa  or  sweet  clover  and  of 
two  tons  for  other  crops  is  sufficient  for  8 or  10  years,  after 
which  two  tons  should  be  applied  on  the  alfalfa  land  and 
one  ton  on  other  crops. 

It  has  been  quite  definitely  established  that  the  need  for 
lime  in  these  soils  runs  practically  parallel  with  the  need 
for  phosphorus.  The  use  of  lime  alone  will  not  make 
enough  phosphorus  available,  and  the  use  of  a phosphate 
fertilizer  will  not  supply  the  lime  requirements  of  the  soil. 
Either  lime  alone  or  acid  phosphate  alone  will  give  in- 
creased yields,  but  neither  alone  will  give  as  great  an  in- 
crease nor  as  profitable  an  increase  as  when  both  are  sup- 
plied. In  the  improvement  of  these  lands,  therefore,  provi- 
sion for  the  use  of  both  lime  and  a phosphate  fertilizer 
should  be  made. 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


21 


Phosphorus  exists  in  all  soils  in  Wisconsin  in  small 
amounts.  Many  of  the  best  types  in  the  state  contain  only 
1,200  pounds  to  the  acre  eight  inches  deep,  and  this  is  in  a 
form  which  becomes  available  to  crops  very  slowly.  Phos- 
phorus is  constantly  being  lost  from  the  farm  in  crops, 
milk,  and  in  the  bones  of  animals  sold.  It  is  well  under- 
stood that  when  grain,  hay,  potatoes  or  other  cash  crops  are 
sold,  this  element  is  removed  from  the  farm.  Much  phos- 
phorus is  also  absorbed  into  the  bones  and  flesh  of  animals 
and  not  returned  to  the  soil,  and  there  is  some  unavoidable 
loss  from  manure  before  it  reaches  the  field.  This  element 
cannot  be  supplied  from  the  air,  and  in  the  long  run  the  loss 
must  be  made  up  through  additions  of  phosphorus  fertilizer 
in  some  form. 

Thirteen  samples  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  gave  an  average 
of  1466  pounds  of  phosphorus  to  the  acre  eight  inches  deep. 
Six  samples  of  Carrington  silt  loam  from  Green  County 
gave  1200  pounds  per  acre.  Eight  other  samples  of  Dodge- 
ville silt  loam  were  found  to  contain  an  average  of  1012 
pounds  per  acre,  and  two  samples  of  Waukesha  silt  loam 
contained  an  average  of  1800  pounds  per  acre.  In  the  light 
colored  soils  the  amounts  of  phosphorus  run  somewhat 
lower.  In  twenty-two  samples  of  Knox  silt  loam  the  aver- 
age was  769  pounds,  while  in  nine  other  samples  of  the 
Knox  silt  loam  the  average  was  only  640  pounds  per  acre. 
In  eight  samples  of  Miami  silt  loam  the  average  supply  of 
phosphorus  was  805  pounds  per  acre  eight  inches  deep. 
The  number  of  pounds  of  phosphorus  in  the  soil,  however, 
cannot  be  taken  to  indicate  the  immediate  need  for  phos- 
phate fertilizer  because  its  availability  to  crops  varies. 
The  system  of  farming  followed,  crops  grown,  type  of  soil, 
and  conditions  relative  to  acidity  are  all  important  factors 
in  determining  the  need  for  phosphorus.  It  should  also  be 
borne  in  mind  that  where  soils  are  acid,  the  amount  of 
phosphorus  which  they  do  contain  is  not  so  readily  available 
to  plants  as  in  soils  which  are  not  acid. 

On  good  upland  soil  where  dairying  or  general  farming 
is  practiced  the  use  of  300  pounds  of  20  per  cent  acid  phos- 
phate or  150  pounds  of  45  per  cent  super-phosphate  to  the 
acre  on  each  field  every  four  or  five  years  will  maintain  the 


22 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


phosphorus  supply.  If  much  grain,  potatoes,  or  other 
crops  are  sold,  more  phosphate  should  be  used. 

On  the  farm  of  Roy  Marshall  at  Elkhorn  in  Walworth 
County,  an  application  of  one  hundred  pounds  per  acre  of 
treble  super-phosphate  (45  per  cent)  on  corn  gave  a yield 
of  15,570  pounds  of  silage  while  on  the  untreated  plot  the 
yield  was  13,335  pounds  per  acre.  In  a test  on  the  Miami 
silt  loam  soil  on  the  Station  Farm  at  Madison,  a phosphate 
fertilizer  applied  at  the  rate  of  two  hundred  pounds  per 
acre  on  oats  gave  a yield  of  93.8  bushels,  while  the  untreat- 
ed yield  was  70.4  bushels.  This  was  on  land  where  the  fer- 
tility was  quite  high.  In  another  case  where  500  pounds 
of  16  per  cent  #acid  phosphate  per  acre  was  applied  to 
prairie  land  which  received  both  manure  and  limestone  the 
yield  of  alfalfa  was  nearly  doubled.  The  average  of  a large 
number  of  tests  shows  that  the  increase  in  yields  due  to 
phosphate  has  a value  of  three  to  four  dollars  for  each  dol- 
lar’s worth  of  phosphate  used.  In  some  of  these  cases  the 
increase  is  small,  but  it  should  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  fer- 
tilizer left  over  in  the  soil  will  be  of  considerable  value  to 
the  following  crop,  especially  clover  and  alfalfa. 

On  soils  relatively  low  in  fertility  somewhat  more  phos- 
phate should  be  used  at  first.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
dark  prairie  soils  which  have  grown  corn  or  small  grain  a 
long  time  without  the  use  of  manure  or  other  fertilizer. 

If  considerable  amounts  of  bran  or  cottonseed  meal  are 
fed,  which  are  relatively  high  in  phosphorus,  the  supply  of 
this  element  may  be  maintained.  It  would  usually  be  nec- 
essary to  feed  at  least  one-half  ton  of  bran  or  cottonseed- 
meal  to  each  cow  on  a dairy  farm  per  year  to  maintain  the 
phosphorus  supply  of  the  soil.  Since  comparatively  few 
farmers  do  that,  some  phosphate  fertilizer  should  be  used. 

Application  of  Phosphates 

Phosphate  fertilizers  not  only  increase  the  yield;  they 
also  have  a special  tendency  to  hasten  the  rate  of  ma- 
turity. For  the  latter  reason  they  are  especially  helpful 
to  corn  in  this  state.  In  order  to  get  the  maximum  bene- 
fit from  the  smallest  expenditure  for  phosphate  on  corn, 
it  should  be  applied  near  the  hill  where  it  will  be 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


23 


taken  up  early  and  more  completely  than  when  broad- 
cast. The  use  of  from  100  to  150  pounds  of  a phos- 
phate alone,  or  of  a mixed  fertilizer  high  in  phosphate,  is 
being  found  very  helpful  in  this  respect.  It  must  be  rec- 
ognized, however,  that  phosphate  applied  in  that  manner 
for  corn  will  leave  little  that  can  be  of  benefit  to  small  grain 
or  hay  following  the  corn.  For  these  crops  the  fertilizer 
must  be  applied  either  with  a grain  drill  having  a fertilizer 
compartment  known  as  a fertilizer  grain  drill,  or  broadcast 
with  a broadcast  sower  and  worked  in  when  preparing  for 
seeding.  Since  all  legumes,  such  as  clover  and  alfalfa 
which  are  relatively  high  in  protein,  require  relatively  large 
amounts  of  phosphorus,  it  is  very  important  that  these 
crops  be  supplied  with  this  element,  and  the  only  way  in 
which  this  can  be  accomplished  is  by  broadcast  application 
at  the  time  of  seeding  the  grain  crop.  It  is  possible,  how- 
ever, to  apply  the  phosphate  as  a top  dressing  on  clover  or 
alfalfa.  Good  results  are  secured  in  this  method  when 
care  is  taken  that  the  fertilizer  is  applied  before  much 
growth  has  taken  place  in  the  spring,  or  even  better,  after 
growth  has  stopped  in  the  fall.  It  is  especially  important 
to  avoid  spreading  the  fertilizer  when  there  is  any  moisture 
on  the  crop* 

Potassium  in  the  Soil 

Potassium  exists  in  these  soils  in  large  amounts,  but  in 
relatively  unavailable  form.  Chemical  analyses  show  that 
they  often  contain  from  30,000  to  40,000  pounds  an  acre 
eight  inches,  while  these  same  soils  will  contain  only  one- 
eighteenth  as  much  phosphorus.  On  most  soils  of  fairly 
heavy  texture,  when  livestock  is  maintained  and  the  ma- 
nure carefully  used  so  that  there  will  be  considerable  ac- 
tively decomposing  organic  matter  in  the  soil,  a sufficient 
amount  of  potassium  may  become  available  from  year  to 
year  to  supply  the  needs  of  general  farm  crops.  There  are 
some  crops  such  as  potatoes,  tobacco  and  cabbage  that  need 
relatively  large  amounts  of  potassium,  and  they  will  often 
be  benefited  by  some  addition  of  potash  in  the  form  of  com- 
mercial fertilizer.  It  is  also  possible  that  alfalfa  which 


* For  further  information  on  the  use  of  phosphates,  see  Experiment 
Station  bulletins. 


24 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Fig-.  1.  Good  pasture  is  the  best  and  most  economical  summer  feed 
for  dairy  cattle  and  it  is  the  best  means  of  prevention  of  erosion  on 
steep  hillsides.  It  requires  fertilization  to  replace  plant  food  removed 
by  grazing-. 


Fig.  2.  Brown  Swiss  cattle  owned  by  dairymen  of  Swiss  descent  are 
quite  at  home  in  Green  County. 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


25 


needs  large  amounts  of  potash  and  does  not  get  much  ma- 
nure will  be  benefited  by  potash  in  the  fertilizer. 

Nitrogen  in  the  Soil 

Nitrogen  is  chiefly  responsible  for  the  dark  green,  healthy 
color  and  rapid  growth  of  corn  or  other  crops  on  well 
manured  land.  It  is  important  to  have  sufficient  amounts 
in  the  soil,  but  when  in  excess  it  is  detrimental  for  some 
crops.  The  quality  of  the  grain  may  be  injured  by  too 
much  nitrogen.  When  in  excess,  it  causes  grain  to  lodge, 
and  the  kernels  do  not  fully  mature. 

Virgin  soils  contain  large  amounts  of  nitrogen,  but  if 
they  are  cropped  continuously  to  such  crops  as  corn,  oats, 
and  timothy  without  the  addition  of  fertilizer  material  con- 
taining nitrogen,  the  nitrogen  supply  is  gradually  ex- 
hausted, and  the  yields  are  reduced. 

The  supply  of  organic  matter  and  nitrogen  in  the  prairie 
soils  is  considerably  higher  than  in  the  light  colored  tim- 
bered soils.  Eight  samples  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  from 
Green  County  showed  an  average  of  4365  pounds  of  nitro- 
gen in  the  surface  eight  inches.  Two  samples  of  Wauke- 
sha silt  loam  were  found  to  contain  7,000  pounds  each,  and 
Carrington  silt  loam  showed  an  average  of  4,768  pounds  for 
five  samples.  The  light  colored  soils  show  a marked  differ- 
ence. Twenty-two  samples  of  Knox  silt  loam  contained  an 
average  of  2,690  pounds.  Miami  silt  loam  showed  3,572 
pounds  in  an  average  of  eight  samples.  A question  of  im- 
portance in  connection  with  the  nitrogen  of  this  soil,  how- 
ever, is  its  availability  to  plants,  and  in  the  soils  which 
have  been  under  cultivation  for  a long  number  of  years,  this 
nitrogen  is  somewhat  inert.  When  in  this  condition,  de- 
caying vegetable  matter,  green  crops,  or  manure  plowed  un- 
der will  give  a more  readily  available  supply  of  nitrogen. 

The  clover,  alfalfa,  peas,  and  beans  have  bacteria  on  their 
roots  that  take  the  free  nitrogen  from  the  air  and  store  it 
in  the  plant  roots.  This  is  the  cheapest  method  of  obtain- 
ing nitrogen  and  one  which  the  farmers  should  use  to  the 
fullest  extent.  On  the  ordinary  dairy  farm  at  least  one- 
fourth  of  the  land  under  cultivation  should  be  in  clover  or 
alfalfa.  This  should  be  fed  to  stock  or  plowed  under  as 


26 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


green  manure  to  insure  keeping  up  the  supply  of  nitrogen 
and  organic  matter.  When  the  manure  from  this  feeding 
is  properly  handled,  the  nitrogen  of  the  farm  will  be  main- 
tained. 

Certain  crops  such  as  tobacco,  potatoes,  and  vegetables 
are  grown  by  farmers  who  do  not  keep  much  livestock  and 
who  do  not  rotate  these  crops  with  legumes.  This  is  not  a 
good  practice.  A rotation  with  a legume  plowed  under  will 
secure  nitrogen  and  reduce  danger  from  diseases ; and  when 
supplemented  with  phosphorus  and  potassium  fertilizers, 
the  legumes  thus  treated  will  take  the  place  of  manure, 
which  can  then  be  used  for  other  crops  on  the  farm. 

Some  fertilizers  contain  only  one  of  the  plant  food  ele- 
ments. Nitrate  of  soda  or  calcium  and  sulphate  of  am- 
monia contain  nitrogen;  acid  phosphate  and  rock  phos- 
phates contain  phosphorus ; muriate  of  potash  contains  pot- 
ash. Other  fertilizers  contain  two  or  all  three  of  the  im- 
portant elements.  The  composition  of  these  fertilizers  is 
indicated  by  a formula.  A 3-10-4  fertilizer  contains  3 per 
cent  of  nitrogen,  10  per  cent  of  phosphoric  acid  and  4 per 
cent  of  potash.  A 0-16-6  fertilizer  contains  no  nitrogen, 
16  per  cent  of  phosphoric  acid  and  6 per  cent  of  potash. 

Where  it  is  necessary  to  use  commercial  fertilizers  which 
contain  nitrogen,  it  is  highly  important  that  this  fertilizer 
be  applied  with  a fertilizer  attachment  on  the  planter,  or  in 
such  manner  that  it  will  come  within  the  root-feeding  ra- 
dius of  the  plant.  Fertilizer  attachments  are  used  in  the 
application  of  fertilizers  to  potatoes  and  corn.  For  sugar 
beets  the  fertilizer  should  be  applied  at  the  time  of  planting 
with  a regular  fertilizer  beet  drill.  Fertilizer  for  tobacco 
and  cabbage  is  usually  broadcasted  previous  to  setting,  al- 
though it  has  proved  desirable  to  apply  a small  quantity 
with  an  attachment  on  the  tobacco  or  cabbage  setter,  and  to 
broadcast  the  rest  after  the  crop  has  developed  a more  ex- 
tensive root  system.  For  onions  and  other  truck  crops,  it 
is  usually  desirable  to  broadcast  the  fertilizer  previous  to 
planting. 

Soils  vary  greatly  in  the  total  quantity  of  plant-food  ele- 
ments they  contain  in  available  form  and  especially  in  the 
proportion  of  the  various  elements  required  by  crops. 
Sandy  and  light  colored  soils  are  generally  low  in  most  ele- 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


27 


ments,  especially  potash.  Light  colored  clay  soils  are  com- 
paratively low  in  nitrogen  and  are  moderately  well  supplied 
with  phosphates.  Prairie  soils  are  high  in  nitrogen  but 
are  usually  acid  and  respond  to  phosphate  fertilizer. 
Heavy  soils  contain  potash  in  comparative  abundance. 

Relation  of  Crops  to  Chemical  Content  of  Soils 

In  the  relation  of  crops  to  soils,  the  relative  proportion  of 
the  different  plant  food  elements  required  and  the  total 
quantity  needed  are  deciding  factors  in  fertilization.  Al- 
though there  are  undoubtedly  slight  variations  in  the  re- 
quirements of  each  individual  crop,  crops  can  be  grouped 
fairly  well  into  classes.  Such  crops  as  small  grains  and 
grasses,  including  timothy,  require  a comparatively  large 
amount  of  phosphates  and  moderate  amounts  of  potash  and 
nitrogen.  Such  crops  as  corn,  potatoes,  tobacco,  and  sugar 
beets  require  large  amounts  of  nitrogen  and  potash  and 
moderate  amounts  of  phosphate.  Peas,  clover,  and  alfalfa 
require  large  amounts  of  phosphate,  potash,  and  lime,  but 
under  proper  conditions  they  can  secure  most  of  their  nitro- 
gen from  the  air.  The  total  quantity  of  plant  food  needed 
depends  largely  on  the  total  weight  of  the  crop  produced. 

Use  of  Commercial  Fertilizers 

In  determining  the  proper  fertilizers  to  use,  all  of  these 
factors  must  be  considered.  Commercial  fertilizers  should 
be  used  only  to  supplement  the  natural  fertility  of  the  soils, 
Acid  phosphate  should  be  used  on  the  heavier  soils  in  a sys- 
tem of  general  farming  where  a sufficient  amount  of  ma- 
nure is  produced  to  cover  the  cultivated  land  every  fourth 
year.  From  125  to  350  pounds  to  the  acre  of  this  phos- 
phate fertilizer  should  be  used.  It  should  be  broadcasted 
or  applied  with  a fertilizer  grain  drill  at  the  time  of  seed- 
ing. If  the  soils  are  acid  and  in  need  of  lime,  this  condi- 
tion must  be  corrected  before  the  phosphate  fertilizer  will 
be  most  effective. 

Mixed  fertilizer  high  in  phosphoric  acid  may  be  used  on 
lighter  soils  where  there  is  a small  supply  of  organic  mat- 
ter. From  200  to  400  pounds  of  these  fertilizers  to  the 
acre  may  be  applied  with  small  grains.  From  75  to  125 


28 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


pounds  an  acre  may  be  used  on  corn  and  should  be  applied 
with  fertilizer  attachments  on  the  corn  planter.  Fertilizer 
applied  to  corn  in  this  manner  should  only  supplement  the 
usual  manurial  treatment. 

Mixed  fertilizers  high  in  potash  may  be  used  for  truck 
crops  where  barnyard  manure  is  not  plentiful.  It  is  im- 
perative that  some  legume,  such  as  clover  or  soy  beans,  be 
grown  with  these  crops  in  order  to  supply  the  necessary 
amounts  of  organic  matter  and  some  of  the  nitrogen 
needed.  For  potatoes,  from  400  to  1,000  pounds  of  fertil- 
izer an  acre  should  be  applied,  and  for  onions,  cabbage, 
beets,  and  tobacco  the  fertilizer  may  be  broadcasted  at  the 
rate  of  from  400  to  1,500  pounds  to  the  acre. 

Phosphate  and  potash  mixtures  should  be  used  on  the 
dark  colored  soils  having  no  need  for  nitrogen  in  the  fertil- 
izer. For  more  specific  information  on  the  use  of  fertil- 
izers, see  bulletins  of  the  Wisconsin  Experiment  Station. 

Permanent  Pasture 

Pasture  crops  require  plant  food  the  same  as  other  crops 
grown  on  the  farm.  In  fact,  pasture  should  be  considered 
in  the  same  class  as  a cereal  or  hay  crop  as  far  as  fertility 
requirements  are  concerned.  Many  of  the  permanent  pas- 
ture plots  have  been  grazed  for  many  years  with  no  thought 
given  to  the  return  of  plant  food  removed  by  the  dairy  ani- 
mals and  other  livestock  maintained.  The  droppings  of 
the  animal  in  only  a small  way  return  plant  food  removed 
by  grazing. 

Where  clovers  make  up  a considerable  part  of  the  pasture 
crop,  little  thought  needs  to  be  given  to  the  question  of  ni- 
trogen fertilizers  since  the  legumes  can  secure  their  nitrogen 
by  fixation.  Some  of  the  recent  work  of  the  Experiment 
Station  indicates  that  clovers  may  be  established  by  seeding 
early  in  the  spring  before  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground, 
providing  the  supply  of  plant  food  is  sufficient  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  crop.  Alsike  and  white  clover  can  be 
seeded  when  there  is  a very  poor  stand  of  grass  and  where 
it  will  catch.  Quite  frequently  land  so  seeded  may  be  util- 
ized for  pasture  purposes  the  same  fall,  but  it  has  been 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


29 


found  desirable  to  pasture  late  in  the  spring  the  first  year 
after  seeding  in  order  that  a good  system  may  be  estab- 
lished. 

On  soils  which  show  a medium  acid  reaction,  limestone  is 
needed  and  should  be  applied  at  the  rate  of  two  tons 
to  the  acre.  The  fertilizer  treatment  should  consist  of  a 
liberal  application  of  phosphate,  together  with  a moderate 
potash  application.  A fair  treatment  consists  of  300 
pounds  of  20  per  cent  superphosphate  together  with  about 
100  pounds  of  muriate  of  potash.  In  case  ready  mixed 
goods  are  used,  about  500  pounds  of  an  0-14-14  fertilizer 
per  acre  may  be  used.  This  fertilizer  may  be  applied 
broadcast  in  late  March  or  early  April,  at  the  time  of  the 
seeding  if  any  is  done,  or  without  reseeding.  The  fertilizer 
and  lime  will  greatly  increase  the  growth  of  clover  already 
on  the  ground. 

On  good  pastures  in  this  region  from  one  and  one-half  to 
two  acres  will  supply  the  feed  for  an  average  cow  for  five 
or  six  months,  but  it  is  usually  necessary  to  supplement 
pasture  crops  a part  of  the  time  without  overgrazing  in  or- 
der to  maintain  the  herd  in  a thrifty  condition  and  at  maxi- 
mum milk  production.  Where  it  is  possible  to  secure  five 
months’  feed  from  the  pasture  land,  it  is  quite  apparent 
that  this  type  of  land  may  be  very  profitably  utilized  for 
producing  dairy  feed.  The  same  is  undoubtedly  true  if 
used  for  grazing  beef  cattle  and  sheep.  Thus  pasture  econ- 
omy is  at  once  apparent  when  one  considers  that  cost  of 
pasture  land  is  only  for  interest,  taxes,  and  fencing,  amount- 
ing to  approximately  $10.00  for  the  pasturing  period,  or 
$2.00  per  month.  On  the  other  hand,  the  cost  of  feed  dur- 
ing the  winter  period  may  range  from  $8.00  to  $10.00  per 
month.  Moderate  steepness  of  slope  is,  therefore,  not  such 
a serious  handicap,  providing  this  land  does  not  constitute 
a larger  portion  of  the  farm  than  can  well  be  utilized  for 
pasture  purposes. 

The  majority  of  farms  in  the  County,  as  at  present  laid 
out,  include  a fair  amount  of  tillable  land  associated  with 
rougher  land  adapted  for  pastures.  In  order  that  this 
steep  land  may  be  used  to  best  advantage,  livestock  must  be 
kept,  and  this  is  one  of  the  principal  reasons  why  the  live- 
stock industry  is  developed  on  such  a large  scale  in  Green 


30 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


County.  Livestock  farming,  it  may  be  stated,  is  about  the 
only  type  of  agriculture  that  can  fully  utilize  the  steep  land 
as  well  as  the  low,  poorly  drained  areas.  Dairying  is, 
therefore,  being  developed  on  a large  scale,  as  it  is  able  to 
utilize  land  which  in  a grain  system  of  farming  would  have 
little  or  no  value. 

Soil  Erosion 

By  hillside  erosion  is  meant  the  removal  by  water  of  the 
more  fertile  part  of  the  surface  soil  from  fields  which  may 
have  only  a gentle  slope.  Not  only  are  the  soil  particles  re- 
moved, but  the  loss  of  the  organic  matter  is  of  equal  or 
greater  importance. 

Injurious  washing  due  to  hillside  or  sheet  erosion  may  be 
controlled  in  a considerable  measure  by  adopting  proper 
cropping  systems.  Land  subject  to  losses  from  this  source 
should  be  kept  as  much  as  possible  in  grass,  hay,  or  pasture 
and  the  ground  devoted  to  cultivated  crops  as  little  as  pos- 
sible. Such  crops  as  alfalfa  may  be  grown,  the  crop  left 
on  the  land  continuously  for  a period  of  three  to  five  years, 
followed  by  a cultivated  crop,  and  then  again  reseeded. 

It  is  also  very  desirable,  wherever  it  is  possible,  to  plow 
up  only  a section  of  the  slope  land,  following  the  contour  so 
that  while  the  lower  half,  for  example,  is  in  cultivated 
crops,  the  upper  half  may  remain  in  hay  or  pasture  crops. 
Likewise,  when  the  lower  half  is  laid  down  to  hay  or  grass, 
the  upper  section  may  be  devoted  to  grain  or  cultivated 
crops.  This  practice  has  been  followed  by  many  farmers 
with  good  results. 

Where  there  is  any  tendency  for  small  gullies  forming, 
these  should  be  maintained  in  sod  strips  which  protect  the 
field  from  the  flow  of  water  during  rains  and  prevent  deep 
gullies  which  are  sure  to  follow  unless  methods  of  protec- 
tion are  taken.  These  sod  strips  should  be  of  sufficient 
width  so  that  gullying  does  not  begin  at  the  side,  resulting 
in  two  new  gullies  in  place  of  the  original  one. 

Increasing  the  supply  of  organic  matter  is  one  means  of 
increasing  the  water-holding  capacity  of  the  soil,  and  thus 
of  helping  to  prevent  erosion.  Plowing  under  of  a green 
manuring  crop,  stable  manure,  and  crop  residues  such  as 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


31 


straw  and  cornstalks,  are  processes  that  may  be  mentioned 
in  this  connection. 

On  much  of  the  hillside  land  of  this  county  which  must 
be  used  for  cultivated  crops,  the  construction  of  terraces  by 
the  use  of  a plow  and  road  grader  will  greatly  lessen  ero- 
sion. These  terraces  carry  the  water  down  the  slope  at  a 
very  low  gradient  so  that  it  carries  little  silt  or  earthy  mat- 
ter with  it  and  prevents  the  formation  of  gullies.  Such 
terraces  can  be  made  on  most  of  this  land  at  an  average  ex- 
pense of  $1.50  to  $2.00  per  acre,  which  is  very  small  com- 
pared to  the  benefit  that  it  produces.  They  are  broad  and 
low  so  that  farm  machinery  can  be  operated  over  the  entire 
field  as  before.* 

Gullies. — Erosion  commonly  leads  to  the  formation  of 
gullies  unless  prompt  preventive  measures  are  taken. 
Where  these  gullies  are  allowed  to  go  unchecked,  the  entire 
field  may  soon  be  made  practically  useless  for  farming  pur- 
poses. 

It  is,  therefore,  of  the  greatest  importance  that  farmers 
in  this  region  do  everything  possible  to  reduce  and  control 
losses  from  this  source.  Control  measures  include  the  pre- 
vention of  the  development  of  gullies  in  the  early  stages  by 
filling  in  with  brush,  straw,  or  other  material. 

In  many  cases,  gullies  which  have  already  been  formed 
can  be  kept  from  further  development  through  the  con- 
struction of  dams  which  will  cause  the  accumulation  of  soil 
above  them,  yet  will  permit  the  water  itself  to  continue 
down  the  slope.  Different  forms  of  dams  have  been  used 
for  this  purpose.  Under  some  conditions  an  earth  dam 
may  be  satisfactorily  used.  In  other  cases  a concrete  dam 
is  built  but,  in  case  of  either  the  earth  or  the  concrete  dam, 
a tile  sluice  should  be  laid  beneath  the  dam,  extending  down 
the  gully  so  as  to  draw  off  the  water  above  the  dam  before  it 
reaches  the  top  and  carry  it  down  a slope  without  permit- 
ting erosion  losses. 

Planting  willows  and  brush  on  the  sides  and  bottom  of 
ditches  too  deep  to  fill  often  arrests  the  growth  of  the  gully. 
Full  information  on  the  construction  of  dams  will  be  found 
in  the  Experiment  Station  Bulletin  on  erosion. 


* For  further  information  on  the  construction  of  terraces,  see  Ex- 
periment Station  bulletin  on  erosion. 


32 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Bottom  land . — Many  of  the  bottom  lands  along  the 
streams  in  the  County  are  badly  cut  up  because  of  the  mean- 
dering tendency  of  streams.  The  straightening  out  of  the 
stream  bed  in  these  bottom  lands  will  be  of  some  help. 
During  periods  of  spring  freshets  or  after  any  heavy  rain- 
fall, an  enormous  quantity  of  water  collects  in  these  valley 
bottoms,  rendering  control  measures  difficult.  Were  more 
of  the  steep  slopes  maintained  in  timber  or  forest  growth, 
the  runoff  would  be  materially  reduced,  and  the  losses  to 
the  bottom  land  would  be  less  destructive. 

Part  2 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement  of 
Loams  and  Fine  Sandy  Loams 

In  this  group  of  soils  there  are  several  types  all  of  which 
are  of  minor  importance  individually,  but  collectively  the 
group  is  important.  These  soils  are  somewhat  lighter  in 
texture  than  the  silt  loams  but,  where  general  farming  is 
carried  on,  practically  the  same  methods  of  improvement 
can  be  followed  as  outlined  for  the  silt  loam  soils  on 
page  19. 

While  there  is  some  variation  in  the  texture,  structure, 
and  color  of  the  types  of  soil  in  this  group,  there  is  suffi- 
cient similarity  so  that  general  methods  of  improvement 
discussed  here  will  apply  to  the  entire  group. 

Tests  and  observations  which  have  been  made  on  these 
soils  indicate  that  practically  all  of  the  types  are  in  need 
of  lime.  The  dark  colored  prairie  soils  show  a greater  need 
than  the  light  colored  soils.  There  are  a few  exceptions 
to  this  need  and  these  are  found  where  the  underlying  lime- 
stone comes  close  to  the  surface  as  it  does  in  a few  places  in 
the  western  part  of  the  county.  Frequently,  however,  the 
soil  will  be  in  an  acid  condition  even  when  the  limestone  is 
within  one  foot  of  the  surface.  See  page  45. 

The  supply  of  organic  matter  in  the  dark  colored  types, 
such  as  the  Waukesha  and  Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loams,  is 
somewhat  greater  than  the  light  colored  types,  but  in  older 
cultivated  soils  this  organic  matter  is  in  an  active  form  so 
that  the  introduction  of  decaying  vegetable  matter  will 
greatly  aid  in  the  improvement  of  these  types  regardless  of 
color. 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


33 


The  supply  of  phosphorus  in  these  loams  and  fine  sandy 
loams  is  lower  than  in  the  heavier  types,  and  these  soils 
show  a marked  deficiency  in  this  element.  The  actual  num- 
ber of  pounds  of  phosphorus  which  these  soils  contain, 
however,  is  not  a true  index  of  the  actual  need  of  this  ele- 
ment. Some  of  the  soils  which  show  a small  total  amount 
do  not  respond  as  well  to  an  application  of  the  phosphorus 
fertilizer  as  do  the  types  which  have  a large  amount  pres- 
ent, so  that  the  behavior  of  the  crop  is  a more  important  in- 
dication of  the  need  of  phosphorus  than  the  chemical 
analysis. 

Regarding  the  supply  of  potassium  in  the  soil,  the  total 
amount  is  approximately  25,000  pounds  per  acre,  or  fully 
20  times  as  much  as  the  supply  of  phosphorus.  Where  gen- 
eral farming  is  conducted,  and  where  there  is  maintained  a 
good  supply  of  vegetable  matter  in  the  soil,  this  will  doubt- 
less be  sufficient.  Where  special  crops  are  raised  which  re- 
quire a large  amount  of  potassium,  this  element  may  be 
supplied  to  advantage  in  the  form  of  a commercial  fertilizer. 

Where  general  farming  is  practiced,  the  fertilizer  recom- 
mendations for  phosphorus  and  potassium  given  for  the 
group  of  heavy  soils  should  be  followed.  See  page  22. 

The  principal  characteristics  of  these  types  are  that  they 
hold  somewhat  less  water  than  heavier  soils  do,  and  they 
warm  up  more  quickly  in  the  spring.  This,  together  with 
the  readiness  with  which  they  can  be  worked,  adapts  them 
to  truck  and  special  crops,  the  growing  of  which  requires 
more  hand  labor  than  is  involved  in  the  growing  of  staple 
crops.  In  growing  truck  and  special  crops  it  is  necessary 
to  give  these  soils  somewhat  more  attention  to  maintain  fer- 
tility, partly  because  of  the  fact  that  they  are  lower  in  fer- 
tility than  the  heavier  soils,  but  more  especially  because 
these  special  crops  require  a higher  degree  of  fertility  to 
produce  satisfactory  yields.  When  these  soils  are  used  for 
the  production  of  special  crops,  their  fertility  can  be  main- 
tained either  through  the  use  of  somewhat  heavy  applica- 
tions of  stable  manure  or  through  the  use  of  a rotation  in 
which  a legume  is  grown  as  the  means  of  securing  the  nec- 
essary nitrogen  and  organic  matter,  while  the  other  ele- 
ments, chiefly  phosphorus  and  potassium,  are  supplied  in 
commercial  fertilizers.  When  this  latter  system  is  fol- 


34 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


lowed,  one-third  or  one-fourth  of  the  land  should  be  sown 
to  a legume  such  as  clover  or  soy  beans  which  have  large 
powers  of  gathering  nitrogen  from  the  air,  and  a part  of 
the  phosphorus  and  potassium  should  be  used  for  the 
growth  of  different  green  manuring  crops.  The  fertility 
used  in  this  way  will  become  available  for  the  succeeding 
crops  through  the  decomposition  of  the  legume  when 
plowed  under,  and  the  remainder  of  the  fertilizer  to  be  used 
should  be  applied  on  this  ground  at  the  time  of  fitting  it  for 
the  succeeding  crops.*  See  pages  25,  26. 

Part  3 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement 
of  Sandy  Soils 

This  group  includes  the  Waukesha  and  Fox  sandy  loams 
and  the  Waukesha,  Plainfield,  and  Coloma  sands.  These 
soils  are  quite  similar  in  the  texture  of  surface  soil  and  sub- 
soil but  differ  somewhat  in  their  color  and  mode  of  origin. 
The  Waukesha  sand  is  darker  colored  than  the  Coloma  and 
Plainfield  and  contains  somewhat  more  organic  matter. 
Taken  as  a group,  the  supply  of  nitrogen  and  organic  mat- 
ter is  less  than  half  that  found  in  the  Dodgeville  silt 
loam,  and  it  is  also  considerably  lower  than  the  average  for 
the  light  colored  silt  loams.  The  phosphorus  supply  is 
markedly  lower  than  in  the  heavy  soils  and  often  falls  be- 
low 500  pounds  per  acre.  The  potassium  supply  is  from 
one-half  to  two-thirds  that  found  in  heavy  soils. 

While  these  sandy  soils  are  low  in  plant  food  and  have  a 
lower  agricultural  value  than  the  heavy  soils  for  general 
farm  crops,  there  are  certain  advantages  which  they  pos- 
sess. They  are  easy  to  cultivate,  they  warm  up  early  in  the 
spring,  and  as  a rule  they  respond  readily  and  profitably  to 
the  application  of  fertilizers. 

In  the  improvement  of  these  soils,  the  first  step  is  to  sup- 
ply the  lime  which  is  needed.  This  will  require  about  two 
tons  of  ground  limestone  per  acre.  This  should  be  applied 
to  a plowed  field  and  disked  or  harrowed  into  the  soil  to  in- 
sure thorough  mixing  and  an  intimate  contact  between  the 
soil  grains  and  the  limestone. 


* For  further  information  on  fertilizers  for  special  crops  see  Ex- 
periment Station  Bulletin. 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


35 


The  management  of  these  soils  to  maintain  the  fertility 
will  depend  to  a considerable  extent  on  the  crops  grown  and 
on  whether  or  not  stock  is  maintained  to  which  the  produce 
of  the  farm  is  fed.  When  dairying  or  other  livestock  farm- 
ing is  practiced,  it  will  be  less  difficult  to  maintain  the  sup- 
ply of  the  essential  elements  of  plant  food, — that  is,  phos- 
phorus, potassium  and  nitrogen.  But  even  when  stock  is 
maintained,  it  is  very  probable  that  the  moderate  use  of 
some  form  of  phosphorus  and  potash  fertilizers  will  be 
found  profitable,  and  some  means  for  increasing  the  or- 
ganic matter  in  addition  to  the  use  of  stable  manure  should 
be  made  use  of  as  far  as  practicable.  The  growth  of  a crop 
of  soy  beans  or  clover,  occasionally,  to  be  plowed  under  as  a 
green  manuring  crop,  will  be  found  very  profitable  in  its  ef- 
fect on  the  succeeding  crop  of  corn  or  grain. 

The  following  fertilizer  treatment  for  legumes  and  other 
general  crops  is  recommended  by  the  Experiment  Station : 

On  light  sandy  soil  with  little  or  no  livestock,  the  fertil- 
izer should  carry  from  two  to  four  times  as  much  potash 
as  phosphoric  acid,  and  it  should  be  applied  at  a rate  to 
supply  about  75  pounds  of  actual  potash  per  acre.  Assum- 
ing the  fertilizer  to  be  used  a 0-8-24,  300  pounds  per  acre 
would  supply  72  pounds  of  actual  potash. 

On  sandy  loam  soils  without  livestock,  or  on  well  man- 
aged light  sandy  dairy  farms,  a fertilizer  with  equal 
amounts  of  the  two  elements  or  up  to  twice  as  much  potash 
as  phosphoric  acid,  should  be  used  and  it  should  be  applied 
at  a rate  to  supply  50  to  75  pounds  of  actual  potash.  Rates 
should  be  gauged  according  to  previous  management.  This 
fertilizer  should  carry  30  to  50  pounds  of  phosphoric  acid. 
Two  hundred  fifty  pounds  of  0-20-20  would  supply  50 
pounds  of  each. 

On  the  better  sandy  loam  dairy  farms,  a fertilizer  with 
one-half  up  to  just  as  much  potash  as  phosphoric  acid  may 
be  used,  and  at  rates  supplying  the  needed  amount  of  phos- 
phoric acid,  namely,  40  to  60  pounds  per  application.  For 
example, — 300  pounds,  0-16-8;  500  pounds,  0-12-12;  etc. 

Clear  muriate  of  potash  (50  per  cent  actual  potash)  and 
acid  phosphates  (16,  18,  20,  24  or  45  per  cent  phosphoric 
acid)  may  be  used  separately,  or  home  mixed,  and  applied 
in  amounts  to  meet  the  above  recommendations. 


36 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


When  these  soils  are  used  for  the  growing  of  potatoes  or 
other  special  crops  to  a considerable  extent,  clover  or  some 
other  legume  must  be  grown  regularly  in  the  rotation  to 
maintain  the  nitrogen  and  organic  matter,  and  part  or  all 
of  this  should  be  plowed  under.  It  is  often  desirable  to  use 
some  commercial  fertilizer  containing  phosphorus  and  po- 
tassium in  order  to  secure  a good  growth  of  clover,  and 
there  is  little  loss  in  so  doing  since  a large  part  of  the  phos- 
phorus and  potassium  applied  to  the  soil  for  the  clover  be- 
comes available  to  the  succeeding  crop  through  the  decom- 
position of  the  organic  matter.  Bpt  another  application 
should  also  be  made  for  the  special  crop  to  get  the  largest 
yields.* 

While  the  use  of  commercial  fertilizers  containing  phos- 
phorus and  potassium  is  desirable  in  the  management  of 
these  soils,  it  must  not  be  considered  that  this  is  an  indica- 
tion that  they  have  less  value  than  heavier  soils,  which  are 
relatively  higher  in  these  elements,  for  the  growth  of  pota- 
toes and  other  special  crops. The  fact  that  these  soils  become 
dry  and  warm  early  in  the  season  makes  them  less  subject 
to  local  frosts,  and  the  finer  tilth  which  they  develop  fits 
them  especially  well  for  the  growth  of  potatoes  and  some 
other  special  crops  since  they  are  practically  free  from 
checking  and  cracking.  The  cost  of  the  fertilizers  is  a com- 
paratively small  part  of  the  total  cost  of  growing  these 
crops.  Sandy  loam  soil  is  well  adapted  to  the  commercial 
growing  of  potatoes,  and  whenever  possible  the  sandy 
loams  should  be  selected  for  this  crop  in  preference  to  sand 
types.  A good  rotation  for  the  sandy  loam  soils  consists 
of  small  grain,  clover,  potatoes,  or  corn.  For  further  sug- 
gestions on  the  management  of  these  soils  and  for  informa- 
tion regarding  source  and  use  of  fertilizers  consult  bulle- 
tins of  the  Experiment  Station. 

Part  4 — Chemical  Composition  and  Improvement 
of  Poorly  Drained  Soils 

These  soils  are  all  low-lying  and  poorly  drained.  They 
are  quite  extensive  as  a whole,  covering  most  of  the  bottom 
lands  of  the  county.  These  lowlands  have  received  the 


* See  Experiment  Station  Bulletin — Fertilizers  for  Special  Crops. 


SOIL  IMPROVEMENT 


37 


wash  of  lime-bearing  water  from  the  uplands  for  centuries, 
and  the  types  therefore  contain  more  lime  than  most  of  the 
upland  soils.  They  are  seldom  in  need  of  lime,  especially 
the  Clyde  soils. 

The  total  supply  of  mineral  plant  food  elements  is  large, 
and  where  the  soil  is  typically  developed,  the  elements  are 
usually  found  to  be  well  balanced.  Over  some  areas,  how- 
ver,  the  surface  is  somewhat  mucky  in  character,  and  in 
these  localities  the  supply  of  phosphorus  and  potash  is  rel- 
atively low.  On  the  average,  this  soil  contains  approxi- 
mately 10,000  pounds  of  nitrogen  in  the  surface  soil,  about 
2,000  pounds  of  phosphorus,  and  from  30,000  to  40,000 
pounds  of  potassium.  The  most  marked  feature  is  the  fact 
that  the  potassium  in  many  cases  is  of  low  availability,  and 
crops,  especially  corn,  sometimes  turn  yellow  at  an  early 
stage  and  make  poor  growth.  This  ordinarily  develops  in 
patches  of  from  one  to  several  acres  in  extent.  In  such 
cases  the  use  of  potash  fertilizer  is  necessary  to  remedy  this 
condition. 

The  phosphorus  supply  is  usually  ample  for  a number  of 
years  after  drainage.  Such  land  as  this  must  be  manured 
eventually,  or  commercial  fertilizers  containing  phosphorus 
and  potash  must  be  used.  There  is  relatively  a much  larger 
supply  of  nitrogen  than  phosphorus  and  potassium.  For 
this  reason  it  is  good  practice  to  use  the  manure  on  the  up- 
land soils  which  are  deficient  in  nitrogen  and  apply  mineral 
fertilizers  to  the  low  land  when  these  are  needed.  In  many 
cases  where  the  soil  is  high  in  organic  matter  to  the  depth  of 
a foot  or  less,  a marked  need  of  potassium  is  shown  during 
the  first  few  years  of  cropping.  This  need  disappears  later 
because,  when  the  surface  settles,  deep  plowing  mixes  some 
of  the  under  soil  high  in  potash  with  the  surface  soil. 

The  first  step  in  the  improvement  of  this  group  of  soils 
is  drainage,  and  when  thorough  drainage  is  established  they 
will  make  some  of  the  best  corn  land  in  the  State.  Fertil- 
izing with  phosphate  and  potash  will  greatly  increase  their 
productivity  as  pasture.  Where  the  bottoms  are  large,  dik- 
ing to  prevent  overflow  may  be  resorted  to,  but  where  the 
bottoms  are  narrow  this  expense  would  not  be  justified.  In 
some  cases  the  beds  of  the  stream  could  be  lowered,  thus 
providing  better  drainage  and  insuring  a good  outlet  for 


38 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


tile  drains.  In  the  drainage  and  improvement  of  the  larger 
areas  of  this  class  of  land,  the  organization  of  drainage  dis- 
tricts would  be  advisable,  and  in  many  cases  absolutely 
necessary. 

Improvement  of  Peat  Soils 

At  present  only  a very  small  proportion  of  the  peat  soil 
in  Green  County  is  improved.  The  actual  value  of  marsh- 
land depends  upon  the  crops  which  can  be  grown  upon  it, 
which,  in  turn  depends  on  the  extent  of  drainage  and  the 
danger  from  frosts.  When  only  a main  outlet  and  lateral 
drainage  ditches  have  been  installed,  only  hay  can  be  safely 
grown.  When  tilled  crops  such  as  corn,  cabbage,  potatoes, 
or  small  grains,  are  to  be  grown,  the  drainage  must  be  more 
certain,  and  on  the  greater  portion  of  the  marshlands  this 
necessitates  the  installation  of  open  lateral  ditches  or  tile 
drains  not  more  than  10  or  15  rods  apart. 

In  the  case  of  peat  land  underlain  by  sand,  well  con- 
structed and  sufficiently  deep  ditches  from  40  to  80  rods 
apart  will,  in  most  cases,  give  adequate  drainage.  When 
the  peat  soil  is  underlain  by  silt  or  clay,  however,  ditches 
not  more  than  20  rods  apart  are  necessary,  and  these  must 
lower  the  water  in  the  ditch  to  a point  4 or  5 feet  below  the 
surface  during  part  of  the  growing  period. 

Marshlands  are  more  subject  to  early  fall  and  late  spring 
frosts  than  are  uplands,  partly  because  of  their  low-lying 
situation,  and  partly  because  the  loose,  spongy  nature  of 
the  peat  soil  prevents  the  heat  of  the  sun  from  penetrating 
much  below  the  surface.  This  looseness  of  the  soil  can  be 
somewhat  improved  by  the  use  of  a heavy  roller  which  com- 
presses the  soil  and  gives  it  better  heat  conductivity.  This 
tendency  to  frost  reduces  somewhat  the  availability  of 
marshland  for  tender  crops,  but  in  Green  County  potatoes 
and  corn  on  marshlands  are  seldom  injured  by  frost. 

On  marsh  soils  commercial  fertilizers  containing  phos- 
phorus and  potassium  are  more  satisfactory  than  stable 
manure.  Lime  is  not  needed.  Of  the  staple  crops,  hay  and 
corn  are  best  suited  to  such  land.  Special  crops  such  as 
cabbage,  hemp,  and  sugar  beets  also  do  well,  but  these  will 
require  larger  quantities  of  potash  and  phosphate  fertiliz- 
ers. 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


39 


CHAPTER  III 

GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 
Knox  Silt  Loam 

Knox  silt  loam  is  a grayish-brown  friable,  smooth  silt 
loam  soil,  from  6 to  10  inches  deep,  containing  a small  or 
moderate  quantity  of  organic  matter  or  humus.  The  upper 
subsoil  is  a yellowish-brown  slightly  heavy  silt  loam,  grad- 
ing into  silty  clay  loam,  14  or  16  inches  below  the  surface. 
With  increasing  depth  the  heavy  subsoil  usually  becomes 
gritty  with  chert  and  small  angular  rock  fragments,  and  at 
depths  ranging  from  18  to  24  inches,  red  gritty  clay  occurs 
resting  on  the  bedrock  of  cherty  limestone. 

The  texture  and  color  of  the  surface  soil  are  uniform,  but 
there  is  considerable  variation  in  the  depth  to  the  red  clay 
and  bedrock.  In  a few  places  on  steep  slopes,  the  surface 
soil  has  been  eroded  and  the  red  clay  exposed.  In  other 
places  on  ridge  tops  or  nearly  level  areas,  the  depth  to  bed- 
rock is  much  greater  than  usual.  On  some  of  the  more 
shallow  areas,  chert  fragments  are  present  on  the  surface 
and  through  the  soil  mass,  this  condition  being  most  com- 
mon on  slopes  and  ridge  tops  where  erosion  has  removed 
part  of  the  surface  soil.  Some  outcrops  of  limestone  bed- 
rock occur,  usually  on  the  steepest  slopes. 

Knox  silt  loam  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  impor- 
tant types  of  soil  in  Green  County.  It  occurs  to  some  ex- 
tent in  nearly  every  township,  although  more  than  90  per 
cent  of  it  is  in  the  western  half  of  the  county.  It  is  the 
predominating  soil  in  New  Glarus  and  Jordan  townships, 
and  it  occurs  extensively  in  Washington,  Monroe,  Cadiz, 
Adams,  and  York  townships.  It  is  associated  with  soils  of 
the  Dodgeville  series. 

Small  bodies  of  this  land  on  ridge  tops  or  plateaus  are 
rolling  or  nearly  level,  but  on  the  sides  of  ridge  slopes  and 
around  the  heads  of  drainage  ways  the  surface  becomes  so 


40 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Fig\  3.  Residual  soil  formed  from  limestone  rock  which  it  overlies. 
The  surface  soil  is  acid  because  of  downward  leaching  of  lime. 


Fig.  4.  A typical  view  on  the  rolling  hills  of  Green  County. 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


41 


steep  that  it  is  subject  to  serious  erosion.  Most  of  the 
steep  slopes  have  been  mapped  as  a steep  phase  of  the  soil. 
Because  of  the  slope  the  drainage  is  good,  the  texture  of 
the  soil  is  such  that  it  retains  moisture  well,  and  crops  sel- 
dom suffer  from  drought  except  during  unusually  long  dry 
periods. 

The  native  forest  growth  on  this  soil  consisted  chiefly  of 
oak,  with  some  hickory,  elm,  maple,  basswood,  ash,  walnut, 
cherry,  and  hazel  brush.  Most  of  the  timber  has  been  re- 
moved from  the  gently  sloping  land,  but  on  many  of  the 
steep  slopes  a forest  growth  still  remains.  The  chief  crops 
are  hay,  pasture  grasses,  small  grains,  and  some  corn. 

Knox  Silt  Loam,  Deep  Phase 

The  surface  soil  of  Knox  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  has  an  av- 
erage depth  of  12  inches  where  cultivated.  It  consists  of 
smooth,  light-brown  or  grayish-brown  silt  loam,  contain- 
ing only  comparatively  small  quantities  of  organic  matter. 
The  subsoil  is  yellowish  heavy  silt  loam,  grading  into  silty 
clay  loam  at  a depth  of  about  18  inches  and  continuing  as 
such  to  depths  of  30  or  36  inches,  where  reddish  clay  or  clay 
loam  is  usually  present.  This  clay  may  contain  fragments 
of  chert.  Both  the  surface  soil  and  upper  subsoil  are  free 
from  coarse  sand,  gravel,  and  stones,  and  the  texture  as  a 
whole  is  uniform.  The  soil  is  slightly  acid  in  places. 

Variations  in  depth  of  the  soil  and  in  surface  contour, 
rather  than  in  texture,  occur  in  the  mapped  areas  of  Knox 
silt  loam,  deep  phase.  In  most  places  the  surface  soil  and 
subsoil  have  a total  depth  of  3 or  4 feet,  but  there  are  places 
where  the  underlying  residual  material  comes  within  2 or  3 
feet  of  the  surface,  and  there  are  some  small  areas  where  it 
is  within  one  foot  of  the  surface.  The  underlying  rock  is 
usually  limestone.  Where  sandstone  is  the  underlying 
rock,  as  in  some  places,  the  deep  subsoil  is  sandy,  and  sand 
is  more  or  less  mixed  with  the  silt.  In  such  places  the  fine 
sand  becomes  more  abundant  as  bedrock  is  approached. 
In  portions  of  the  county  the  limestone  is  somewhat  sandy, 
and  thin  clay  or  shale  layers  may  be  present  in  the  sand- 
stone. In  either  case,  a sandy  or  gritty  clay  loam  or  clay 
might  be  formed  by  the  decomposition  or  weathering  of  the 


42 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


rock.  Some  patches  of  light  colored  silt  loam  are  also  in- 
cluded with  mapped  areas  of  this  soil  where  the  region  has 
evidently  been  glaciated.  A color  variation  occurs  where 
this  soil  borders  the  darker  Dodgeville  silt  loam.  In  such 
places  both  surface  soil  and  subsoil  have  a darker  color  than 
usual. 

Knox  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  is  an  important  soil  in  Green 
County,  covering  a total  area  of  70.7  square  miles.  It 
forms  part  of  every  township,  the  largest  areas  occurring 
in  Spring  Grove,  Clarno,  Cadiz,  Decatur,  and  Washington 
townships.  The  phase  is  closely  associated  with  Dodgeville 
silt  loam  and  with  typical  Knox  silt  loam. 

The  surface  of  this  land  is  for  the  most  part  gently  roll- 
ing, and  the  areas  occur  chiefly  on  ridge  tops  and  long  gentle 
slopes.  In  places  these  ridges  are  less  than  three-quarters 
of  a mile  wide,  whereas  in  other  places  areas  of  this  soil  are 
several  square  miles  in  extent.  The  natural  drainage  of 
this  land  is  good. 

The  native  forest  growth  on  this  phase  of  soil  was  similar 
to  that  on  the  typical  soil.  At  present,  the  greater  part  of 
the  land  is  under  cultivation.  The  acreage  of  desirable 
cornland  is  somewhat  small  because  of  the  danger  of  se- 
rious washing  even  on  quite  gentle  slopes. 

Knox  Silt  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

Knox  silt  loam,  steep  phase,  is  closely  associated  with  typ- 
ical silt  loam,  but  it  is  not  so  extensive.  The  soil  usually  re- 
sembles the  typical  soil,  but  it  is  subject  to  greater  varia- 
tion and  forms  a thinner  covering  over  the  underlying  rock. 
The  surface  soil  is  usually  a light  brown  silt  loam  about  10 
inches  deep.  This  is  underlain  by  a yellowish  brown  silty 
clay  loam  material  which  usually  prevails  to  a depth  of  3 
feet  or  more.  In  many  places,  erosion  has  removed  the  sur- 
face covering,  and  the  heavy  silty  clay  loam  material  forms 
the  surface  soil.  In  other  places,  especially  where  the  soil 
is  shallow,  rock  fragments  are  present  in  the  soil  mass. 
Where  the  soil  overlies  sandstone,  considerable  fine  sand  is 
incorporated  with  the  soil  in  many  places,  and  the  deep  sub- 
soil may  consist  of  a fine  sand  or  fine  sandy  loam.  Where 
limestone  is  the  underlying  rock,  the  subsoil  may  be  a red 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


43 


or  reddish-brown,  heavy  clay  loam  containing  cherty  frag- 
ments. Rock  outcrops  occur  here  and  there  on  this  soil. 

The  surface  of  this  kind  of  land  is  rolling  or  hilly  with 
steep  slopes  and  sharp,  narrow  ridges  where  the  danger 
from  erosion  is  great.  Because  of  the  danger  of  erosion, 
not  much  corn  is  grown  on  the  steep  land.  It  is  grown 
mostly  on  the  gently  rolling  ridge  tops  and  lower  slopes  be- 
low the  steep  land,  and  the  steep  slopes  are  utilized  mostly 
for  permanent  pasture  and  for  wood  lots.  Much  of  this 
land  is  in  permanent  pasture,  the  steep  slopes  producing 
grass  of  excellent  quality  for  dairy  cattle.  Alfalfa  also  is 
grown,  usually  in  the  shallow  soils  on  ridge  tops  where 
roots  can  readily  penetrate  to  the  lime-bearing  subsoil. 

The  original  forest  growth  consisted  of  maple,  hickory, 
birch,  basswood,  and  several  varieties  of  oak.  Only  a small 
part  of  this  soil  is  under  cultivation.  Most  of  it  remains 
forested  although  where  the  timber  has  been  partly  or  com- 
pletely removed  the  land  is  generally  in  permanent  pasture. 

Dodgeville  Silt  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  is  from  6 to  10 
inches  deep.  It  consists  of  a dark  brown  or  almost  black 
silt  loam  with  a high  content  of  organic  matter.  Quanti- 
ties of  fine  sand  are  present  in  the  surface  soil  in  places,  and 
small  fragments  of  chert  are  common.  The  upper  part  of 
the  subsoil  is  a heavy  silt  loam,  considerably  lighter  in  color 
than  the  surface  soil,  and  at  a depth  of  about  16  inches  this 
grades  into  a reddish-brown  clay  loam  containing  numerous 
chert  fragments,  which  become  more  numerous  with  in- 
creasing  depth.  This  is  underlain  by  heavy  clay  loam  or 
clay.  The  usual  depth  to  bedrock  ranges  from  2 to  3 feet, 
although  outcrops  of  bedrock  along  the  slopes  are  numer- 
ous. Within  a few  inches  of  the  underlying  rock,  which 
is  limestone,  the  color  is  variegated.  Many  small  pockets 
of  sand  occur  in  the  subsoil,  and  in  a few  small  areas  the 
surface  material  is  a fine  sandy  loam.  Such  areas  usually 
occur  on  the  slopes,  but  many  are  too  small  to  be  indicated 
on  the  soil  map. 

Dodgeville  silt  loam,  with  its  deep  and  steep  phases,  is 
the  second  most  extensive  soil  and  probably  the  most  impor- 


44 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


tant  in  the  county.  Some  of  this  soil  is  present  in  every 
township ; it  is  the  predominating  soil  in  Jefferson,  Sylves- 
ter, Monroe,  York,  and  Adams  townships.  It  is  closely  as- 
sociated in  many  places  with  Knox  silt  loam  and  differs 
chiefly  from  that  soil  in  the  color  of  the  surface  soil  and  the 
content  of  organic  matter. 

The  surface  of  areas  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  ranges  from 
gently  undulating  to  rolling.  The  undulating  areas  occur 
as  ridge  tops,  and  the  rolling  surfaces  are  found  where 
streams  have  worked  back  into  the  land,  carving  valleys 
and  leaving  ridges,  along  the  slopes  of  which  rock  outcrops 
are  numerous.  The  natural  drainage  is  well  established; 
it  is  even  excessive  where  the  soil  is  shallow.  On  the 
steeper  slopes  some  erosion  occurs. 

This  soil  is  derived  from  the  weathering  of  the  underly- 
ing limestone,  and  its  dark  color  is  doubtless  due  to  the  de- 
cay of  a rank  growth  of  grasses  under  moist  conditions. 
Dodgeville  silt  loam  is  a prairie  soil,  and  the  original  vege- 
tation consisted  chiefly  of  prairie  grasses,  with  only  a scat- 
tered growth  of  trees  along  some  of  the  slopes  and  border- 
ing forested  soils. 

Probably  about  65  per  cent  of  this  soil  is  under  cultiva- 
tion, the  remainder  being  used  chiefly  as  permanent  pas- 
ture. The  type  of  agriculture  most  extensively  followed 
consists  of  general  farming  and  dairying.  The  chief  crops 
are  oats,  barley,  wheat,  clover,  and  timothy.  The  rotation 
most  commonly  followed  consists  of  corn,  which  may  be 
grown  for  two  or  three  years,  followed  by  a small  grain 
crop  possibly  for  two  or  three  years,  after  which  the  land  is 
seeded  to  timothy  and  clover  and  cut  for  hay  for  at  least 
two  years.  Many  farmers  pasture  the  fields  for  a year  or 
more  before  again  plowing  them  for  corn.  Better  results 
are  obtained  by  reducing  the  length  of  the  rotation. 

The  acreage  of  alfalfa  is  gradually  increasing,  and  this 
crop  does  well  where  the  soil  contains  plenty  of  lime.  The 
application  of  ground  limestone  is  necessary  in  many  places 
for  success  with  this  crop.  In  fact  much  of  this  soil  is  acid 
and  is  benefited  by  the  use  of  lime.  The  use  of  a phosphate 
fertilizer  on  alfalfa  is  also  very  important. 


* See  Experiment  Station  bulletin,  “Liming  Wisconsin  Soils” 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


45 


Dodgeville  Silt  Loam,  Deep  Phase 

The  surface  soil  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  con- 
sists of  a very  dark  brown  or  almost  black  friable  silt  loam, 
from  8 to  14  inches  deep,  with  a somewhat  high  content  of 
organic  matter.  The  surface  of  the  soil  is  free  from  coarse 
sand,  gravel,  and  stones,  and  the  texture  is  uniform.  The 
subsoil  consists  of  a yellowish-brown  heavy  silt  loam  which 
grades  into  a silty  clay  loam  or  clay  loam  at  a depth  of 
about  20  inches.  Below  this  depth  the  color  in  many  places 
is  a more  pronounced  yellow,  or  the  subsoil  may  be  a red- 
dish-brown or  red  clay  resting  on  limestone  3 or  4 feet  be- 
low the  surface.  Where  the  soil  section  is  deep,  the  yellow 
color  usually  prevails,  and  where  the  soil  mass  is  less  than  3 
feet  deep,  a reddish  color  is  more  likely  to  occur.  The  soil 
phase  is  developed  most  extensively  on  undulating  ridge 
tops  and  on  long  gentle  slopes. 

Although  Dodgeville  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  is  generally 
uniform  throughout  most  of  its  extent,  a number  of  varia- 
tions were  noted.  The  most  marked  of  these  is  the  differ- 
ence in  the  depth  of  the  surface  soil  and  the  depth  of  the 
soil  mass  to:  the  underlying  rock.  The  deepest  dark  brown 
surface  soil  occurs  on  the  smooth  ridge  tops  and  along  gen- 
tle slopes,  and  on  some  lower  slopes  there  are  small  areas 
where  wash  from  the  higher  lands  has  accumulated.  The 
dark  soil  is  shallower  on  the  more  pronounced  slopes,  and 
the  red  or  yellow  clay  comes  nearer  to  the  surface.  Along 
narrow  ridge  tops  and  on  some  of  the  steeper  slopes  where 
the  soil  is  not  so  deep  as  typical,  chert  fragments  occur  on 
the  surface  and  in  the  soil.  In  the  eastern  half  of  the 
county,  a few  glacial  bowlders  may  be  present  on  the  sur- 
face, and  in  isolated  tracts  limestone  fragments  may  occur. 

Accompanying  these  variations  in  the  depth  of  the  soil 
there  is  also  a variation  in  the  degree  of  acidity.  On  the 
ridge  tops  where  the  surface  soil  is  deepest  a medium  de- 
gree of  acidity  usually  prevails,  and  even  where  the  lime- 
stone comes  close  to  the  surface  an  acid  condition  may  exist. 
The  least  acidity  is  usually  found  on  steep  places  where  the 
heavy  limey  subsoil  is  exposed,  and  on  lower  slopes  where 
the  soil  receives  wash  from  limestone  ledges  above. 

The  surface  is  gently  undulating  or  rolling,  usually  ap- 


46 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


pearing  as  gently  rolling  prairie  land.  Natural  drainage  is 
well  established,  although  on  some  of  the  more  gentle  slopes 
it  is  probable  that  tile  drainage  might  be  advantageous.  On 
the  steeper  slopes  some  damage  from  erosion  has  taken 
place,  but  this  can  be  checked  by  care  in  cultivation  and  in 
the  selection  of  crops. 

Dodgeville  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  like  typical  Dodgeville 
silt  loam,  is  derived  mainly  from  the  weathering  of  the  un- 
derlying limestone.  On  some  of  the  hillsides  the  surface 
material  has  been  removed  by  erosion,  and  the  reddish,  re- 
sidual material  usually  lying  just  above  the  limestone  is  ex- 
posed. This  material  is  also  seen  in  many  road  cuts.  The 
small  area  of  this  soil,  mapped  in  the  south-central  part  of 
the  county  where  the  pre-Wisconsin  glacial  drift  is  present, 
may  differ  slightly  in  origin  from  the  other  bodies  because 
it  is  partly  derived  from  glacial  drift.  But  the  old  glacial 
drift  is  very  thin,  and  the  soil  is  practically  the  same  as  in 
the  driftless  area.  A few  crystalline  bowlders  occur  in  this 
region,  and  their  presence  is  usually  the  only  indication  of 
glacial  action. 

Dodgeville  silt  loam,  deep  phase,  is  a prairie  soil,  and  the 
native  growth  consisted  chiefly  of  prairie  grasses.  There 
are  some  trees,  as  oak,  hickory,  basswood,  and  some  maple 
on  some  of  the  steeper  slopes  and  along  the  edges  of  other 
kinds  of  land.  Hazel  brush  is  abundant  in  places.  Prob- 
ably about  90  per  cent  of  this  soil  is  in  cultivation,  and  the 
remainder  is  in  permanent  pasture.  The  same  crops  are 
grown,  and  about  the  same  rotations  followed,  as  on  the 
typical  soil.  Less  steep  land  is  included  in  the  deep  phase 
than  in  the  typical  soil ; consequently  less  erosion  has  taken 
place  and  the  average  value  is  higher. 

Dodgeville  Silt  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

The  steep  phase  of  the  Dodgeville  silt  loam  occurs  in 
small,  usually  narrow  and  irregular  areas  which  are  so 
steeply  sloping  that  the  land  is  not  adapted  to  cultivated 
crops  and  is  largely  in  pasture.  Slopes  of  10  or  15  per  cent 
are  subject  to  erosion  when  cultivated. 

The  soil  of  the  steep  phase  of  Dodgeville  silt  loam  is  es- 
sentially like  the  typical  soil,  except  where  erosion  has  car- 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


47 


ried  away  the  surface  silty  layer  and  exposed  the  heavier 
subsoil.  On  uneroded  areas  the  surface  silty  soil  may  be 
thinner  than  is  typical,  and  the  total  depth  of  weathered 
material  over  the  bedrock  may  be  less. 

The  steep  phase  soil  is  associated  with  typical  Dodgeville 
silt  loam  throughout  its  distribution  in  the  county.  The 
individual  bodies  are  small  but  numerous,  and  the  total  area 
is  28.6  square  miles. 

Carrington  Silt  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Carrington  silt  loam  consists  of  a dark 
brown  or  almost  black,  friable  silt  loam,  comparatively  high 
in  organic  matter.  It  usually  contains  some  fine  sand,  and 
in  many  places  a small  quantity  of  gravel.  Tests  indicate 
that  the  surface  soil  is  acid.  The  subsoil  consists  of  a some- 
what friable,  dingy-brown  silt  loam  material  which  grades 
downward  into  yellowish-brown  silty  clay  loam  material 
containing  some  fine  sand  and  gravel.  At  a depth  of  20  or 
30  inches  a sandy  clay  or  a sandy  loam  material  occurs. 
The  deep  subsoil  usually  grades  into  glacial  till,  composed 
of  mixed  clay,  sand,  gravel,  and  bowlders.  In  some  areas 
where  the  limestone  bedrock  is  within  4 feet  of  the  surface, 
the  lower  subsoil  is  a reddish-brown  clay,  carrying  frag- 
ments of  the  weathered  limestone  from  which  it  originated. 
In  places,  limestone  fragments  occur  in  both  soil  and  sub- 
soil. 

Where  this  soil  borders  Knox  silt  loam  or  Miami  silt 
loam,  it  is  lighter  in  color  and  lower  in  organic  matter  than 
elsewhere ; and  where  it  borders  fine  sandy  loam  soils,  both 
soil  and  subsoil  contain  more  fine  sand.  On  some  of  the 
steep  slopes  the  soil  has  been  removed  by  erosion  and  the 
underlying  till  exposed,  and  in  other  places  the  clay  loam 
subsoil  comes  to  the  surface.  The  soil,  as  mapped,  includes 
small  areas  of  Carrington  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam.  This 
soil  is  similar  to  Dodgeville  silt  loam,  but  it  differs  from 
that  soil  chiefly  in  being  underlain  by  glacial  till. 

Carrington  silt  loam  is  not  so  extensive  in  Green  County 
as  Dodgeville  silt  loam,  but  it  is  widely  distributed,  occur- 
ring chiefly  in  Brooklyn  township  in  the  northeastern  cor- 
ner of  the  county  and  in  Clarno  township  in  the  south-cen- 


48 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


tral  part,  both  areas  lying  within  the  glacial  region  where 
the  Carrington  soils  are  developed.  The  surface  of  these 
areas  varies  from  gently  rolling  to  hilly,  the  surface  fea- 
tures having  been  developed  almost  entirely  by  erosion. 
On  account  of  the  sloping  surface  and  the  open  nature  of 
the  soil  and  subsoil,  the  natural  drainage  is  good. 

Carrington  silt  loam  comprises  prairie  soils  developed 
principally  on  glacial  drift.  The  pre^ Wisconsin  glaciation 
is  evident  in  this  region,  but  the  amount  of  glacial  till  with- 
in this  old  glacial  belt  is  small,  and  in  many  places  it  seems 
to  be  lacking.  In  such  places  soil  types  representing  the 
residual  material  are  mapped,  and  it  is  evident  that  some 
of  the  material  included  with  Carrington  silt  loam  is  also 
of  residual  origin  from  the  underlying  limestone.  In  some 
places  the  surface  soil  is  developed  on  glacial  drift,  and  the 
subsoil  is  residual  material  derived  from  limestone.  Fre- 
quently, the  boundary  between  areas  of'  Carrington  and 
Knox  soils  is  difficult  to  establish  as  the  change  from  one 
soil  to  the  other  is  not  marked.  The  parent  glacial  material 
is  the  distinguishing  feature  of  the  Carrington  soils,  and  a 
heavy  red  substratum  is  usually  an  indication  of  residual 
material. 

Probably  80  per  cent  of  Carrington  silt  loam  land  is  un- 
der cultivation,  the  remainder  being  devoted  to  permanent 
pasture.  General  farming  is  practiced  in  conjunction  with 
dairying.  This  is  prairie  soil,  and  the  native  growth  con- 
sisted almost  exclusively  of  prairie  grasses.  Corn,  oats, 
barley,  and  hay  are  grown  successfully  on  this  soil,  and  it  is 
handled  and  fertilized  in  the  same  way  as  Dodge ville  silt 
loam. 

Carrington  Silt  Loam,  Gravelly  Phase 

The  surface  soil  of  Carrington  silt  loam,  gravelly  phase, 
consists  of  a dark  brown  or  black  fine  sandy  loam,  loam,  or 
silt  loam  which  prevails  to  a depth  between  8 and  12  inches. 
A small  amount  of  gravel  is  usually  present  on  the  surface. 
The  yellowish-brown  or  chocolate-brown  loam  subsoil 
grades  through  gritty  clay  loam  into  gravelly  sandy  loam. 
In  a few  places  a gravel  bed  occurs  within  3 feet  of  the  sur- 
face and  may  even  be  exposed  at  the  surface,  whereas  in 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


49 


other  places  the  soil  is  nearly  free  from  gravel.  The  parent 
material  is  largely  calcareous  glacial  drift. 

This  gravelly  soil  is  very  inextensive  and  therefore  of 
minor  importance.  Most  of  it  is  associated  with  Carring- 
ton silt  loam  although  in  some  places  it  is  associated  with 
Dodgeville  silt  loam,  the  gravel  ridges  being  all  that  give 
evidence  of  the  old  glaciation,  whereas  the  surrounding 
soils  appear  to  be  residual.  The  gravelly  phase  of  this  soil 
occurs  in  Clarno,  Monroe,  Decatur,  and  Albany  townships. 

Carrington  silt  loam,  gravelly  phase,  occurs  chiefly  in 
long,  narrow  ridges,  and  in  isolated  gravelly  hills.  The 
natural  drainage  is  good  or  even  excessive.  Because  of  its 
small  total  area,  the  soil  is  of  little  agricultural  importance. 
Some  of  it  is  well  suited  to  alfalfa  because  it  is  well  supplied 
with  lime.  Although  the  subsoil  may  be  high  in  lime,  how- 
ever, the  surface  soil  is  sometimes  so  acid  that  liming  may 
be  necessary  in  growing  clover  or  alfalfa.  The  chief  crops 
grown  are  corn,  oats,  barley,  and  hay,  and  the  uncultivated 
portion  of  the  land  is  mostly  in  permanent  pasture.  Crop 
yields  are  fair,  although  inferior  to  those  on  Carrington  silt 
loam. 

Carrington  Silt  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

A very  small  total  area  of  Carrington  silt  loam  is  indi- 
cated on  the  soil  map  as  a steep  phase.  It  differs  primarily 
from  the  typical  soil  in  its  steeply  sloping  surfaces  which 
restrict  the  usual  farming  practices  and  render  the  land 
better  adapted  to  pasture  than  to  cultivated  crops. 

Miami  Silt  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Miami  silt  loam  consists  of  a grayish- 
brown  silt  loam,  8 or  10  inches  deep,  low  in  organic  matter 
because  it  was  originally  wooded.  The  upper  subsoil  is 
yellowish-brown  heavy  silt  loam  material  grading  into  silty 
clay  loam,  which  at  a depth  of  18  or  20  inches  is  usually 
underlain  by  brown  gritty  clay  loam  or  clay.  In  many 
places  this  material  contains  some  rounded  gravel;  it  may 
also  carry  some  chert  fragments.  A small  amount  of 
gravel  and  some  glacial  bowlders  may  be  present  upon  the 
surface,  especially  on  the  knolls  and  steeper  slopes.  The 
soil  is  variable  and  in  many  places  contains  fine  sand. 


50 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Miami  silt  loam  is  confined  to  the  glaciated  part  of  the 
county,  the  largest  tract  occurring  in  Albany  township  and 
in  the  adjoining  part  of  Decatur  township.  Other  small 
patches  are  in  Brooklyn,  Mount  Pleasant,  Sylvester,  and 
Clarno  townships.  This  soil  is  closely  associated  with 
Knox  silt  loam  and  closely  resembles  that  soil  type.  The 
chief  difference  is  the  presence  of  drift,  stone,  and  gravel  in 
the  Miami  soil. 

The  surface  of  this  land  ranges  from  nearly  level  to  roll- 
ing, and  the  natural  drainage  is  usually  good  although  it 
may  be  slightly  deficient  near  low  places  where  the  surface 
is  nearly  level. 

Miami  silt  loam  is  derived  from  calcareous  glacial  debris 
from  the  pre-Wisconsin  or  early  Wisconsin  ice  sheet,  and 
the  deposit  in  Green  County  is  very  thin.  The  parent  ma- 
terial is  entirely  lacking  in  many  places,  and  elsewhere  the 
glacial  material  has  become  so  mixed  with  residual  material 
that  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  which  material  predomi- 
nates. The  old  till  has  been  thoroughly  leached,  and  in 
most  places  an  acid:  condition  prevails  in  the  surface  soil. 

The  native  forest  growth  was  chiefly  of  oak,  basswood, 
and  maple,  with  some  hickory,  elm,  and  ash.  Practically 
all  merchantable  timber  has  been  cut,  and  most  of  the  land 
is  in  improved  farms.  The  chief  crops  grown  are  corn, 
oats,  barley,  timothy  and  clover,  and  some  alfalfa.  The 
soil  is  of  similar  agricultural  value  to  Knox  silt  loam,  and 
the  same  farming  practices  and  methods  of  improvement 
apply  to  both. 

Fox  Silt  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Fox  silt  loam  consists  of  light-brown 
or  grayish-brown  silt  loam  from  8 to  12  inches  deep,  which, 
owing  to  its  very  low  content  of  organic  matter,  has  a whit- 
ish appearance  when  dry.  The  material  is  almost  free 
from  sand  and  gravel  and  has  an  extremely  smooth  feel. 
The  upper  subsoil  is  brownish-yellow  silt  loam,  grading  at 
depths  of  16  or  20  inches  into  yellow  silty  clay  loam  which 
may  continue  to  a depth  of  3 feet  or  more.  In  many  places 
a silty  fine  sandy  loam  is  encountered  between  depths  of  2 
and  3 feet.  It  is  underlain  by  stratified  beds  of  sand  or 
gravel. 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


51 


This  soil  is  not  extensive  and  occurs  chiefly  in  the  valley 
of  Sugar  River  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county.  A few 
scattered  areas  occur  elsewhere,  but  they  are  practically  all 
within  the  region  covered  by  the  ice  sheet. 

The  surface  is  level  or  very  gently  undulating,  and  the 
natural  drainage  is  sufficient  except  where  the  underlying 
beds  of  sand  and  gravel  are  3 feet  or  more  below  the  sur- 
face. In  many  places  bordering  areas  of  Clyde  soils,  the 
drainage  is  deficient. 

The  original  forest  growth  consisted  of  oak,  elm,  hickory, 
and  some  ash,  but  practically  all  of  this  land  is  now  cleared 
and  forms  parts  of  highly  improved  farms.  The  chief 
crops  grown  are  corn,  oats,  barley  and  hay.  The  same  sys- 
tems of  farming  and  cultural  methods  are  followed  as  on 
Miami  silt  loam  and  Knox  silt  loam,  and  the  soil  has  about 
the  same  degree  of  productiveness. 

Waukesha  Silt  Loam 

The  topsoil  of  Waukesha  silt  loam  is  about  12  inches  in 
depth.  It  consists  of  a black  velvety  silt  loam  containing  a 
high  percentage  of  organic  matter.  The  upper  part  of  the 
subsoil  is  chocolate-brown  heavy  silt  loam  or  silty  clay  loam 
material  which  gradually  becomes  yellowish-brown  with  in- 
creasing depth.  Below  a depth  of  24  inches  the  subsoil  in 
many  places  is  clay  loam  material  slightly  mottled;  else- 
where the  subsoil  contains  some  fine  sand.  At  depths  rang- 
ing from  2 to  5 feet  stratified  beds  of  sand  and  gravel  are 
present,  the  depth  to  the  coarse  material  usually  being  more 
than  three  feet.  The  surface  soil  is  quite  uniform  and  is 
free  from  gravel,  stones,  and  bowlders. 

This  is  an  important  soil  in  the  county,  but  it  is  not  so 
extensive  as  other  black  prairie  soils.  It  is  most  exten- 
sively developed  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  in  the  val- 
ley of  Sugar  River  and  its  tributaries,  although  it  may  oc- 
cur in  small  patches  along  any  of  the  watercourses  within 
the  county.  Some  of  the  most  important  bodies  are  in  De- 
catur and  Spring  Grove  townships  on  what  is  known  as  Jor- 
dan Prairie.  Others  are  Sylvester,  Exeter,  and  Mount 
Pleasant  townships,  as  well  as  in  other  localities. 

The  surface  of  this  land  is  level  or  very  gently  undulating 


52 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


and  the  natural  drainage  is  fair  or  good,  except  that,  where 
the  surface  is  flat  or  slightly  depressed  and  where  the 
depth  to  sand  and  gravel  is  3 or  4 feet,  the  drainage  is  some- 
what deficient.  Waukesha  silt  loam  occurs  chiefly  on  ter- 
races or  outwash  plains,  the  material  doubtless  having  been 
worked  over  by  ice  action  and  carried  out  from  the  front  of 
the  ice  sheet  by  water.  This  debris  was  deposited  in  the 
flood  plain  of  glacial  streams,  constituting  the  parent  ma- 
terial from  which  this  and  several  other  soils  of  the  county 
have  developed.  It  is  certain  that  the  stratified  portion  was 
deposited  as  indicated  above,  but  the  extremely  silty  cover- 
ing forming  the  surface  soil  and  part  of  the  subsoil  may  be 
of  different  origin,  since  it  has  some  of  the  characteristics  of 
wind-blown  or  loessial  material.  The  dark  color  is  due  to 
the  growth  and  decay  of  a rank  grass  vegetation.  The  sur- 
face soil  is  acid.  This  is  a prairie  soil,  and  the  native 
growth  consisted  chiefly  of  grasses. 

Waukesha  silt  loam  is  the  highest-priced  farm  land  in  the 
county.  It  is  practically  all  tillable  and  is  all  in  well-im- 
proved farms,  devoted  to  general  farming  and  dairying. 
Corn,  oats,  barley,  and  hay  are  the  principal  crops,  corn 
having  the  largest  acreage.  Some  wheat  also  is  grown. 

Although  this  is  highly  productive  land,  it  can  be  im- 
proved for  growing  clover  and  alfalfa  by  the  use  of  lime. 
The  soil  also  responds  to  the  use  of  phosphate  fertilizers. 

Lintonia  Silt  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Lintonia  silt  loam,  to  a depth  of  about 
10  inches,  consists  of  brownish-gray,  friable  silt  loam  which 
becomes  lighter  in  color  when  dry  and  frequently  has  a 
whitish  appearance.  The  quantity  of  organic  matter  pres- 
ent in  the  surface  soil  is  comparatively  small  and  accounts 
in  part  for  the  light  color  of  the  soil.  A slightly  acid  con- 
dition has  developed  in  places  in  the  topsoil.  The  subsoil 
consists  of  yellowish-brown  or  buff-colored  material  having 
a silt  loam  texture.  This  usually  becomes  somewhat  heav- 
ier and  more  compact  with  depth,  and  at  depths  between  24 
and  30  inches  it  may  grade  into  a silty  clay  loam.  Below  a 
depth  of  3 feet  considerable  stratified  sandy  material  con- 
taining some  gravel  exists,  and  it  may  prevail  to  depths 


GROUP  OF  SILT  LOAM  SOILS 


53 


varying  from  4 to  6 feet.  The  depth  to  this  sandy  material 
varies  between  2 and  6 feet  but  averages  about  3 feet. 
This  soil  closely  resembles  Knox  silt  loam  in  texture,  struc- 
ture, and  color  to  a depth  of  3 feet. 

Lintonia  silt  loam  occurs  in  several  parts  of  the  county 
but  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  valley  of  Sugar  River.  The 
largest  tracts  are  in  Clarno,  Decatur,  Brooklyn,  Albany, 
Exeter,  and  Cadiz  townships.  The  soil  is  developed  on 
stream  terraces,  and  the  surface  is  for  the  most  part  level 
or  has  a gentle  slope  toward  the  stream  along  which  it  oc- 
curs. It  frequently  occurs  on  narrow  benches,  varying  in 
width  from  a few  rods  to  one-half  mile,  between  the  bottom 
land  subject  to  overflow  and  the  steep  slopes  forming  the 
valley  walls.  The  terraces  are  above  present  flood  plains, 
and  the  natural  drainage  is  usually  fair  or  good.  However, 
in  places  where  the  depth  to  sand  is  more  than  3 feet  and 
the  surface  level,  the  natural  drainage  may  be  deficient. 
Gullies  and  ravines  have  been  cut  across  the  terraces  by 
water  rushing  down  the  valley  slopes.  The  material  com- 
posing Lintonia  silt  loam  is  largely  of  alluvial  origin,  al- 
though it  is  probable  that  the  surface  material,  especially 
close  to  the  foot  of  the  bluffs,  is  partly  colluvial,  having  been 
washed  down  the  steep  slopes  from  areas  of  Knox  silt  loam 
lying  at  higher  elevations. 

Although  the  surface  soil  is  slightly  acid  in  places,  the 
land  nearest  the  bluffs  is  slightly  calcareous,  especially 
where  it  occurs  adjacent  to  uplands  underlain  by  limestone 
from  which  there  is  a wash. 

Most  of  the  original  timber  has  been  cut,  and  this  land  is 
practically  all  highly  improved  and  very  desirable.  It  is 
devoted  to  general  farming  and  dairying,  as  is  Knox  silt 
loam.  The  same  crops  are  grown,  and  about  the  same 
yields  are  secured  as  on  Knox  silt  loam.  The  same  methods 
of  improvement  regarding  fertilization  and  rotation  will 
apply  to  both  soils.  Lintonia  silt  loam  is  of  slightly  higher 
value  than  Knox  silt  loam  land. 

Rough  Broken  Land 

Rough  broken  land  includes  rock  exposures,  cliffs,  and 
land  which  is  too  steep  and  rough  to  plow  or  cultivate.  It 


54 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


may  be  considered  non-agricultural,  and  it  is  of  value  only 
for  the  small  quantity  of  timber  and  pasturage  it  supplies. 

This  land  occupies  many  of  the  steep  walls  bordering  the 
valleys  and  forms  a border  between  the  valley  bottoms  and 
the  high  land  of  the  ridges.  It  is  developed  in  narrow 
bands,  many  miles  in  extent,  winding  in  and  out  with  the 
valleys  and  coves,  but  it  is  confined  to  the  steep  slopes.  A 
part  of  it  occurs  as  narrow  ridges  upon  which  are  areas  of 
arable  land  too  small  to  be  mapped.  The  bluffs  and  cliffs 
are  highest  along  the  western  border  of  the  county,  and 
many  of  them  attain  an  elevation  of  200  or  300  feet  above 
the  valley  bottoms. 

Rough  broken  land  is  quite  uniformly  distributed 
throughout  the  central  and  western  parts  of  the  county ; it 
is  intimately  associated  with  Knox  silt  loam  and  with  the 
Boone  soils.  The  greater  part  of  the  rock  consists  of  St. 
Peter  sandstone,  Black  River  limestone,  and  Galena  dolo- 
mite. 

The  remaining  forest  growth  consists  of  white  oak,  red 
oak,  pine,  and  hickory,  with  considerable  undergrowth  and 
brush  in  places. 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  SOILS 


55 


CHAPTER  IV 

GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  LOAMS 
Knox  Loam 

Knox  loam  consists  of  grayish  fine  sandy  loam  or  loam,  8 
or  10  inches  deep,  underlain  by  yellowish  or  reddish-brown 
sandy  clay  loam  which  prevails  to  depths  ranging  from  18 
to  24  inches  and  becomes  very  sticky  at  depths  of  30  or  32 
inches.  This  is  underlain  by  disintegrated  limestone. 
The  texture  of  the  soil  and  subsoil  is  variable,  although  con- 
sistently lighter  than  that  of  Knox  silt  loam.  This  soil  oc- 
curs chiefly  in  Jordan  and  Cadiz  townships,  although  other 
small  tracts,  too  small  to  be  shown  on  the  soil  map,  are  pres- 
ent in  other  parts  of  the  county.  This  type  of  soil,  with 
its  steep  phase,  covers  a total  area  of  3,648  acres. 

The  surface  contour  of  this  land  is  similar  to  that  of 
Knox  silt  loam ; it  has  the  same  native  vegetation,  is  farmed 
in  about  the  same  way,  and  has  practically  the  same  agri- 
cultural value. 

Knox  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

A steep  phase  of  Knox  loam  is  mapped  where  areas  are  so 
steep  that  ordinary  agricultural  practices  are  difficult. 
Only  a few  small  patches  in  the  western  and  southwestern 
parts  of  the  county  are  mapped.  Land  of  this  kind  has  a 
lower  value  than  typical  Knox  loam,  and  most  of  it  is  left 
in  forest  or  used  as  pasture. 

Dodgeville  Fine  Sandy  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loam  is  a dark- 
brown,  or  almost  black,  fine  sandy  loam  or  loam  about  10 
inches  deep.  The  soil  is  acid  and  high  in  organic  matter. 
In  places,  a small  quantity  of  gravel  and  some  limestone  and 
chert  fragments  are  scattered  over  the  surface  and  mixed 
with  the  soil.  The  upper  subsoil  is  usually  a yellowish- 


56 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


brown  fine  sandy  loam,  grading  at  depths  of  16  or  20  inches 
into  a sandy  clay  loam  or  sandy  clay,  which  prevails  to  a 
depth  of  3 feet  or  more ; but  in  many  places  the  underlying 
limestone  is  within  3 feet  of  the  surface  and  is  immediately 
covered  by  4 or  6 inches  of  reddish-brown,  rather  plastic 
sandy  clay  containing  particles  of  decomposed  limestone. 
Both  soil  and  subsoil  are  subject  to  numerous  variations. 

This  soil  is  of  small  extent  in  the  county  but  is  widely  dis- 
tributed. It  occurs  principally  in  Adams,  Sylvester,  Clar- 
no,  Washington,  and  Cadiz  townships. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  is  rolling,  but  the  slopes  are  not 
steep.  Because  of  the  loose,  porous  nature  of  the  subsoil 
and  the  broken  underlying  rock,  the  natural  drainage  is  ex- 
cellent or  even  excessive.  This  condition  also  prevails 
where  the  limestone  occurs  near  the  surface. 

This  soil  is  largely  residual  from  the  underlying  lime- 
stone, and  in  some  places  this  rock  is  so  sandy  that  it  im- 
parts a sandy  texture  to  the  soil  material.  Part  of  this  soil 
occurs  within  the  region  which  was  glaciated,  but  the  influ- 
ence of  the  ice-laid  material  on  the  soils  is  slight  although 
some  ice-deposited  granitic  bowlders  and  some  gravel  occur. 

This  is  a prairie  soil,  and  the  natural  vegetation  included 
only  a few  scattered  trees  and  prairie  grasses.  About  80 
per  cent  of  this  soil  is  under  cultivation  and  devoted  to  gen- 
eral farming.  It  is  considered  a fair  soil,  and  it  is  easy  to 
work,  but  it  is  not  equal  in  productiveness  to  Dodgeville  silt 
loam.  The  general  farm  crops  common  to  the  region  are 
grown,  potatoes  being  grown  more  extensively  than  on  the 
heavier  soils  of  the  county.  The  acid  condition  of  the  soil 
in  many  places  causes  failures  with  clover  and  alfalfa. 

Dodgeville  Fine  Sandy  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

Areas  of  Dodgeville  fine  sandy  loam  which  are  so  steep  as 
to  be  especially  susceptible  to  erosion  when  cultivated  are 
indicated  on  the  soil  map  as  the  steep  phase.  They  are 
small  and  irregular  in  shape,  occurring  on  the  steeper  val- 
ley slopes  in  association  with  typical  Dodgeville  fine  sandy 
loam  in  the  western  part  of  the  county.  The  total  area  is 
less  than  one  square  mile. 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  SOILS 


57 


Boone  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Boone  loam  has  a depth  of  about  10 
inches.  It  consists  of  a light  brown  or  grayish-brown 
loam,  having  a comparatively  low  content  of  organic  mat- 
ter. It  is  underlain  by  a lighter  colored  loam  or  fine  sandy 
loam  which  gradually  becomes  heavier  with  depth  and 
grades  into  a sandy  clay  about  2 feet  below  the  surface. 
This  heavy  subsoil  may  continue  to  a depth  of  3 feet  or 
more  where  it  rests  on  bedrock ; or  it  may  grade  into  a fine 
sandy  loam  or  fine  sand  where  the  bedrock  is  less  than  3 
feet  below  the  surface.  Immediately  over  the  rock  the  sub- 
soil, in  many  places,  has  a mottled  reddish  color.  The  soil 
is  variable  in  texture,  and  the  surface  soil  is  generally  acid. 

This  soil  is  of  small  extent  but  widely  distributed.  It  oc- 
curs in  Adams,  Albany,  Cadiz,  Jordan,  Exeter,  and  Wash- 
ington townships,  as  well  as  in  some  other  parts  of  the 
county.  It  occurs  mostly  on  lower  slopes  below  outcrops  of 
sandstone  rock. 

The  surface  is  rolling,  and  there  is  some  danger  of  ero- 
sion on  the  steepest  slopes.  The  natural  drainage  is  good, 
or  even  excessive,  where  the  rock  is  near  the  surface. 

This  soil  is  derived  largely  from  the  underlying  limestone 
and  sandstone  rock  formations.  The  sandstone  has  con- 
tributed most  largely  to  its  formation. 

The  natural  forest  growth  consisted  of  hickory,  bass- 
wood, birch,  some  poplar,  and  several  varieties  of  oak. 
The  merchantable  timber  has  been  removed,  but  a large 
part  of  the  land  is  still  uncleared. 

About  one-third  of  this  soil  is  under  cultivation,  largely 
for  general  farming  similar  to  that  on  Knox  silt  loam  with 
which  it  is  frequently  associated.  Corn,  oats,  barley,  and 
hay  are  the  chief  crops  grown.  The  methods  of  cultiva- 
tion, crop  rotation,  and  fertilization  followed  are  practi- 
cally the  same  as  on  Knox  silt  loam,  and  this  soil  responds 
to  the  same  treatment. 

Boone  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

The  steep  phase  of  Boone  loam  includes  those  areas  on 
slopes  which  are  too  steep  for  cultivation  under  present  ag- 


58 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


ricultural  methods.  The  bodies  are  small  and  are  associ- 
ated with  typical  Boone  loam,  chiefly  in  the  western  part 
of  the  county. 

At  present  the  land  is  utilized  for  pasture  or  is  forested. 
Boone  Fine  Sandy  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Boone  fine  sandy  loam,  8 or  10  inches 
deep,  consists  of  a light  brown  or  brown  fine  sand  or  fine 
sandy  loam,  very  low  in  organic  matter  and  somewhat  acid. 
The  subsoil  is  a yellow  fine  sandy  loam  which  becomes  heav- 
ier with  depth ; and  at  a depth  of  20  or  24  inches  it  is  a yel- 
low sandy  clay  which  continues  to  a depth  of  3 or  more  feet. 
Fragments  of  sandstone  are  present  in  places  in  both  soil 
and  subsoil.  In  some  places,  especially  near  the  base  of 
slopes,  the  surface  soil  is  underlain  by  a layer  of  yellow  fine 
sand  which  may  continue  to  a depth  of  24  or  30  inches  be- 
fore the  yellow  fine  sandy  loam  is  encountered.  On  the 
slopes  immediately  below  sandstone  outcrops,  irregular 
fragments  of  sandstone  are  scattered  over  the  surface  and 
mixed  with  the  soil  in  sufficient  quantities  to  hinder  culti- 
vation. 

This  soil  is  rather  inextensive,  but  the  bodies  are  widely 
distributed,  occurring  in  at  least  half  of  the  townships  of 
the  county.  Probably  the  largest  body  is  in  Albany  town- 
ship directly  west  of  the  village  of  Albany  and  extends 
along  the  south  side  of  Little  Sugar  River  for  a distance  of 
several  miles.  Boone  fine  sandy  loam,  together  with  its 
steep  phase,  covers  a total  area  of  14.1  square  miles. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  is  nearly  level  along  the  lower 
slopes  and  steep  and  broken  on  the  ridge  tops  and  hillsides, 
the  larger  areas  on  the  steep  slopes  being  mapped  as  the 
steep  phase.  It  usually  occurs  on  lower  slopes  below  out- 
crops of  sandstone  or  low  secondary  ridges  from  which  the 
capping  of  limestone  has  been  removed  by  erosion.  On  the 
steep  slopes  considerable  damage  is  caused  by  washing, 
deep  gullies  having  been  developed  in  a number  of  places. 

This  soil  has  been  derived  chiefly  from  the  weathering  of 
sandstone,  although,  judging  from  the  quantity  of  chert  ly- 
ing in  places  upon  the  surface,  it  is  probable  that  some  ma- 
terial from  the  limestone  rock  has  been  incorporated  with 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  SOILS 


59 


it.  Most  of  the  soil  derived  from  sandstone  is  deficient  in 
lime,  but  there  are  some  places  where  wash  from  higher- 
lying  limestone  material  has  prevented  this  soil  from  be- 
coming acid  or  has  corrected  acidity.  Sorrel  grows  very 
generally  over  both  this  soil  and  the  loam. 

About  30  per  cent  of  this  land  is  cultivated,  and  the  re- 
mainder is  in  forest  and  permanent  pasture.  Corn,  oats, 
rye,  buckwheat,  and  some  hay  are  grown,  but  yields  are 
rather  low.  The  soil  is  deficient  in  organic  matter,  and 
also  in  the  mineral  plant  food  elements,  and  requires  spe- 
cial treatment  to  secure  best  results. 

Boone  Fine  Sandy  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

Boone  fine  sandy  loam,  steep  phase,  includes  areas  of 
Boone  fine  sandy  loam  which  are  too  steep  for  successful 
cultivation  under  the  present  system  of  farming.  The  soil 
is  similar  to  typical  Boone  fine  sandy  loam,  except  where 
erosion  has  carried  away  the  surface  layers.  This  phase  oc- 
curs in  small,  linear,  irregular  areas  associated  with  Boone 
fine  sandy  loam. 

The  agricultural  value  of  this  soil  is  low,  and  the  best 
present  utilization  of  it  is  for  forest  and  pasture  land. 

Miami  Loam 

The  cultivated  surface  soil  of  Miami  loam  averages  9 
inches  in  depth  and  consists  of  grayish-brown  loam  contain- 
ing only  a moderate  amount  of  organic  matter.  The  sub- 
soil is  usually  yellowish-brown  loam  grading  into  a gritty 
clay  loam  which  may  take  on  a reddish-brown  color  below 
a depth  of  2 feet.  Gravel  and  chert  fragments  are  some- 
what abundant  in  the  subsoil  and  may  be  present  on  the 
surface  on  knolls  and  rather  steep  slopes.  The  soil  varies 
in  texture  from  silt  loam  to  fine  sandy  loam,  and  sandy  ma- 
terial may  occur  in  the  subsoil.  In  some  places  bowlders 
are  present  on  the  surfaces,  but  not  in  sufficient  numbers 
to  interfere  with  cultivation. 

Miami  loam  occurs  most  extensively  in  Brooklyn  town- 
ship ; it  also  occurs  in  Albany,  Clarno,  Decatur,  Exeter,  and 
Mount  Pleasant  townships. 

The  surface  varies  from  nearly  level  to  rolling,  and  the 


60 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Fig.  5.  A view  of  the  Valley  of  Pecatonica  River. 


Fig.  6.  View  of  New  Glarus  where  the  Swiss  made  their  first  settlement. 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  SOILS 


61 


natural  drainage  is  good  although  in  a few  places  bordering 
on  the  lowlands  drainage  is  slightly  deficient. 

This  soil,  like  the  silt  loam,  has  been  derived  chiefly  from 
unassorted  glacial  material  of  the  older  Wisconsin  or  pre- 
Wisconsin  ice  sheet.  This  deposit  was  thin,  and  consider- 
able residual  material  from  limestone  rock  now  occurs  with 
the  glacial  debris,  resulting  in  soils  which  are  partly  glacial 
and  partly  residual.  The  soil  material  has  been  leached  to 
a considerable  extent,  and  the  surface  soil  in  most  places 
shows  varying  degrees  of  acidity. 

Most  of  the  Miami  loam  is  in  farms  and  is  highly  im- 
proved. The  farms  are  devoted  to  general  farming  and 
dairying,  and  the  chief  crops  are  corn,  small  grains,  and 
hay.  The  same  cultural  methods  are  followed  as  on  Miami 
silt  loam  and  Knox  silt  loam,  and  suggestions  for  improve- 
ment of  those  soils  will  apply  equally  well  to  this  soil. 

Miami  Loam,  Steep  Phase 

The  steep  phase  of  Miami  loam  includes  small  areas  on 
slopes  so  steep  as  to  prohibit  production  of  the  ordinary  cul- 
tivated crops  of  the  region,  and  under  present  conditions 
the  land  is  best  utilized  as  pasture. 

Miami  Fine  Sandy  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  cultivated  Miami  fine  sandy  loam  is 
light  brown  or  grayish-brown  to  depths  varying  from  8 to 
12  inches.  In  a few  places  the  texture  approaches  a fine 
sand,  although  in  other  small  areas  the  material  is  nearly 
as  heavy  as  a loam.  The  subsoil  is  heavier  than  the  sur- 
face soil  and  usually  consists  of  loam  or  gritty  clay  loam 
material.  In  some  places  sandy  layers  are  present  in  the 
deep  subsoil. 

This  soil  is  of  small  extent,  covering  only  4.1  square 
miles,  or  2,624  acres  within  the  county.  It  occurs  most  ex- 
tensively in  Brooklyn  township,  and  in  smaller  patches  in 
Albany,  Decatur,  Exeter,  and  Clarno  townships.  The  soil 
is  closely  associated  with  other  soils  of  the  same  series  and 
also  with  Knox  silt  loam. 

The  surface  is  undulating  or  gently  rolling,  and  the  nat- 
ural drainage  generally  good.  The  soil  has  developed 


62 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


largely  from  the  same  old  glacial  debris  as  Miami  loam  and 
Miami  silt  loam,  and  it  also  includes  some  residual  material 
derived  from  the  underlying  limestone.  Chert  and  glacial 
gravel  are  common  in  the  subsoil,  and  on  slopes  or  knolls  it 
may  also  be  present  on  the  surface. 

This  soil  is  nearly  all  in  improved  farms  and  is  devoted  to 
general  farming  and  dairying.  About  the  same  cultural 
methods  and  crop  rotations  are  followed  as  on  Miami  loam 
and  Miami  silt  loam.  Fine  sandy  loam  soils  are  considered 
better  adapted  to  truck  crops  than  Miami  silt  loam. 

Fox  Loam 

Fox  loam  consists  of  a brown  loam  which  passes  at  a 
depth  of  about  10  inches  into  a heavy,  yellowish-brown 
loam  or  light  sandy  clay  loam  and  grades  downward  into 
yellow-brown  or  brownish-yellow  gravelly  sandy  clay.  In 
general,  at  depth  of  30  inches  stratified  beds  of  yellow 
gravel  and  sand  are  encountered  although  in  some  places 
the  beds  of  gravel  and  sand  are  within  20  inches  of  the 
surface,  and  in  other  places  they  do  not  occur  within  a 
depth  of  3 feet.  Some  areas  of  Fox  silt  loam  and  Fox  fine 
sandy  loam,  too  small  to  map  separately,  are  included  with 
this  soil. 

Most  of  this  soil  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county 
within  the  glaciated  region,  chiefly  in  the  valley  of  Sugar 
River  in  Brooklyn,  Exeter,  Albany,  and  Decatur  townships. 
It  is  associated  with  other  members  of  the  Waukesha  series 
and  in  places  merges  into  them.  Patches  of  fine  sandy 
loam  are  included  in  mapped  areas  of  this  phase  of  Fox 
loam.  In  these  patches  the  soil  consists  of  about  10  inches 
of  light-brown  or  brown  fine  sandy  loam,  underlain  by  pale 
yellow  sandy  loam  which  becomes  heavier  with  depth.  The 
pale  yellow  subsoil,  encountered  at  a depth  of  12  or  14  inch- 
es, ranges  in  texture  from  heavy  fine  sandy  loam  to  sandy 
clay.  In  some  places  it  prevails  to  a depth  of  more  than  3 
feet,  whereas  in  others  a bed  of  stratified  medium  and  fine 
sand  or  gravel  is  encountered  at  a depth  of  2 or  3 feet. 

The  surface  ranges  from  almost  level  to  gently  sloping  or 
undulating,  and  the  natural  drainage  is  usually  good.  The 
soil  is  open  and  porous  and  readily  absorbs  the  normal  rain- 
fall. 


GROUP  OF  LOAMS  AND  FINE  SANDY  SOILS 


63 


Nearly  all  of  this  land  is  under  cultivation ; it  is  devoted 
chiefly  to  corn,  oats,  barley,  rye,  and  hay.  The  methods  of 
cultivation  followed  and  the  yields  secured  are  similar  to 
those  on  Fox  silt  loam.  The  soil  is  deficient  in  organic  mat- 
ter and  is  somewhat  acid. 

Fox  Fine  Sandy  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Fox  fine  sandy  loam  consists  of  light- 
brown  or  grayish-brown  fine  sandy  loam  from  6 to  10 
inches  deep,  underlain  by  a yellowish-brown  material  of 
about  the  same  texture.  Below  18  inches,  a gritty  clay 
loam  or  sandy  clay  layer  prevails  in  many  places,  and  at  a 
depth  of  about  2 feet  this  grades  into  stratified  sand  and 
gravel. 

The  soil  is  somewhat  variable,  containing  small  tracts  of 
loamy  soil  and  also  some  sandy  areas.  It  is  confined 
mainly  to  the  valley  of  Sugar  River.  It  occurs  principally 
in  Brooklyn,  Exeter,  Albany,  and  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ships and  is  closely  associated  with  Fox  loam,  silt  loam,  and 
sandy  loam. 

The  surface  is  level,  or  nearly  so,  and  because  of  the  open 
nature  of  the  subsoil,  it  is  well  drained.  The  areas  are  sit- 
uated well  above  the  present  flood  plains  and  seldom  suffer 
from  excess  water. 

This  soil  has  developed  from  water-laid  material  and 
nearly  always  occurs  on  terrace  formations  along  streams. 
The  material  has  been  leached  to  a considerable  extent,  and 
the  surface  soil  is  usually  somewhat  acid. 

Fox  fine  sandy  loam  is  a good  soil.  It  is  devoted  princi- 
pally to  general  farming  and  dairying,  corn,  oats,  and  hay 
being  the  chief  crops. 

Waukesha  Fine  Sandy  Loam 

Waukesha  fine  sandy  loam  consists  of  a mellow  dark- 
brown  or  nearly  black  loam  or  fine  sandy  loam,  about  10 
inches  deep,  with  a high  content  of  organic  matter.  The 
subsoil  grades  through  chocolate-brown  loam  or  fine  sandy 
loam  to  a yellowish-brown  material  of  about  the  same  tex- 
ture. At  a depth  of  2 feet  the  subsoil  is  either  a gritty  clay 


64 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


loam  or  sticky  sandy  loam  material  and  grades  into  strati- 
fied sand  and  gravel  not  more  than  3 feet  below  the  surface. 

This  soil  is  of  small  extent  and  is  confined  chiefly  to  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county  in  the  valley  of  Sugar  River. 
The  areas  are  small  and  widely  scattered. 

Waukesha  fine  sandy  loam  is  derived  from  alluvial  de- 
posits laid  down  by  streams  when  the  water  was  at  a much 
higher  level  than  at  present.  Although  much  of  the  ma- 
terial may  have  originated  from  limestone,  the  soil  has  been 
leached  to  so  great  an  extent  that  an  acid  condition  has  de- 
veloped. In  farming  the  land,  limestone  is  needed,  espe- 
cially for  clover  and  alfalfa. 

Waukesha  fine  sandy  loam  is  a prairie  soil,  and  the  nat- 
ural growth  was  largely  prairie  grasses.  Practically  all  of 
this  soil  is  now  in  improved  farms  and  produces  fair  crops. 
Corn,  hay,  and  small  grains  are  the  chief  crops,  although 
the  soil  is  also  well  suited  to  special  truck  crops  and  would 
respond  well  to  special  fertilization.  The  improvement  of 
this  soil  should  be  conducted  along  the  same  lines  as  the 
other  prairie  soils  of  the  county. 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  SOILS 


65 


CHAPTER  V 

GROUP  OF  SANDY  SOILS 
Waukesha  Sandy  Loam 

Waukesha  sandy  loam  consists  of  a dark-brown  or  almost 
black  sandy  loam  underlain  at  a depth  of  16  or  20  inches  by 
a brownish-yellow  sandy  clay  loam.  This  becomes  lighter 
in  texture  with  increasing  depth  and  grades  into  yellowish 
sandy  loam  at  a depth  of  about  28  inches.  This  is  under- 
lain by  gravelly  sand  and,  at  a depth  of  about  3 feet,  by 
stratified  beds  of  gravel  and  sand.  The  topsoil  is  acid. 
The  surface  layer  of  this  soil  varies  in  texture  from  sand  to 
loam,  and  the  stratified  beds  of  gravel  and  sand  are  within 
18  inches  of  the  surface  in  some  places  and  below  a depth  of 
3 feet  in  others. 

This  soil  is  confined  to  the  valley  of  Sugar  River  and  oc- 
curs most  extensively  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Decatur 
township  in  the  vicinity  of  Brodhead.  In  fact,  the  city  of 
Brodhead  is  situated  on  a terrace  of  Waukesha  sandy  loam. 

The  surface  of  this  land  is  level  or  undulating,  and  the 
natural  drainage  is  good,  or  excessive,  because  of  the  coarse 
open  nature  of  the  lower  subsoil. 

This  is  an  unforested  prairie  soil,  and  prairie  grasses 
constituted  the  native  vegetation.  Practically  all  of  this 
land  is  devoted  to  general  farming  in  conjunction  with 
dairying.  Potatoes  are  grown  more  extensively  than  on 
the  heavier  soils,  and  fair  yields  are  usually  obtained. 
Yields  of  general  farm  crops  are  somewhat  lower  than  on 
Waukesha  loam  and  Waukesha  silt  loam,  and  the  soil  has 
lower  agricultural  value.  More  tobacco  is  grown  on  Wau- 
kesha sandy  loam  than  on  any  other  soil  in  the  county. 
Rye  is  also  grown  to  a greater  extent  than  on  the  heavier 
soils. 


66 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Waukesha  Sand 

The  surface  soil  of  Waukesha  sand  consists  of  light  to 
dark-brown  fine  sand,  8 inches  deep,  which  contains  only  a 
low  percentage  of  organic  matter.  This  is  underlain  by  a 
yellowish  fine  sand  which  prevails  to  a depth  of  3 or  more 
feet.  Some  of  the  soil  is  coarser  in  texture,  and  gravel 
commonly  occurs  in  the  subsoil. 

This  soil  is  confined  to  the  valley  of  Sugar  River  and  is 
most  extensive  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  Spring  Grove 
township.  A smaller  body  is  in  Decatur  township. 

The  surface  of  this  soil  is  flat  or  very  gently  undulating, 
but  the  natural  drainage  is  excessive.  Although  the  water 
table  comes  closer  to  the  surface  than  in  the  upland  soils, 
this  soil  is  inclined  to  be  droughty. 

Most  of  this  land  is  cleared  and  under  cultivation.  The 
remainder  is  in  brush  and  second-growth  forest  and  is  used 
to  some  extent  for  pasture.  Most  crops  common  to  the  re- 
gion are  grown,  but  yields  are  low.  Tobacco  of  fairly  good 
quality  is  grown  to  some  extent  on  this  soil,  although 
yields  are  low.  The  soil  is  deficient  in  organic  matter  as 
well  as  in  the  mineral  plant  food  elements,  but  the  texture 
of  the  soil  is  such  that  its  productivity  may  be  improved. 

Fox  Sandy  Loam 

The  topsoil  of  Fox  sandy  loam  consists  of  brown  sandy 
loam  of  medium  texture  8 or  10  inches  deep.  The  soil  is 
somewhat  loose  and  open,  and  as  a rule  the  supply  of  or- 
ganic matter  is  low.  The  subsoil  is  a yellowish  sand  or 
sandy  loam  material  which  may  contain  sufficient  clay  in 
places  to  make  it  somewhat  sticky  when  wet.  Below  a 
depth  of  2 feet,  beds  of  stratified  sand  with  some  fine  gravel 
usually  are  present.  Mapped  areas  of  this  type  of  soil  con- 
tain patches  of  Fox  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam.  Where  it 
borders  the  typical  Waukesha  sandy  loam,  it  is  darker  in 
color  than  usual  and  contains  more  organic  matter. 

Fox  sandy  loam  is  most  extensive  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county  and  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  valley  of  Sugar 
River.  It  covers  a total  area  of  3.4  square  miles  and  is 
closely  associated  with  other  soil  types  and  soil  phases  of 
the  Fox  series. 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  SOILS 


67 


The  surface  of  this  land  is  level  or  gently  undulating,  and 
the  natural  drainage  is  good,  or  somewhat  excessive.  The 
soil  occurs  on  terraces  well  above  present  overflow.  The 
soil  material  is  of  alluvial  origin ; it  was  probably  deposited 
during  glacial  periods  when  much  larger  quantities  of  water 
were  carried  by  the  streams  than  at  present.  The  soil  has 
been  leached  considerably,  and  an  acid  condition  prevails. 

Fox  sandy  loam  has  a somewhat  lower  agricultural  value 
than  Fox  loam  and  silt  loam,  but  it  may  be  considered  a 
fair  soil.  It  is  devoted  to  general  farming  and  dairying, 
and  some  tobacco  is  grown.  Corn,  rye,  and  some  hay  and 
oats  are  produced,  but  yields  are  lower  than  on  the  heavier 
soils. 

Plainfield  Sand 

Plainfield  soil  has  a surface  soil  about  6 inches  deep  of 
brown  sand  of  medium  texture.  It  contains  only  a moder- 
ate amount  of  organic  matter  and  has  a loose  open  struc- 
ture. The  subsoil  is  light-brown  or  yellowish  medium  sand 
with  which  there  may  be  mixed  a small  amount  of  fine 
gravel.  It  is  loose  and  open  in  structure  and  very  pervious 
to  water.  The  soil  is  uniform  in  texture  and  color,  al- 
though in  a few  places  the  texture  approaches  a fine  sand, 
and  in  others  the  material  is  slightly  loamy  at  the  surface. 
Near  heavier  soils  a small  amount  of  clay  occurs  here  and 
there  in  the  subsoil. 

This  sand  is  of  very  small  extent  and  is  confined  largely 
to  a few  areas  in  the  valley  of  Sugar  River.  The  largest 
tracts  are  in  Decatur,  Albany,  and  Exeter  townships.  A 
number  of  smaller  tracts  are  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county. 

The  surface  of  Plainfield  sand  is  level  or  very  gently  un- 
dulating, and  the  natural  drainage  is  usually  excessive.  In 
many  places  the  soil  suffers  from  lack  of  moisture  during 
the  latter  part  of  the  growing  season.  This  soil  occurs  on 
terraces  or  bench  land  and  is  well  above  the  present  flood 
plain  of  streams.  It  is  all  of  alluvial  origin  and  has  been 
carried  and  deposited  by  streams.  The  material  was  origi- 
nally derived  in  part  from  sandstone  formations,  and  the 
surface  is  usually  acid. 

Virgin  land  of  this  kind  was  forested  with  oak  and  some 


68 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


pine,  but  practically  all  of  the  timber  has  been  cut  and  the 
land  placed  under  cultivation.  Most  of  the  general  farm 
crops  of  the  region  are  grown  on  this  soil,  but  yields  are 
usually  low.  The  land  has  a low  agricultural  value,  and 
lime  and  commercial  fertilizers  are  needed  to  improve  it. 

Coloma  Sand 

Coloma  sand  consists  of  light-brown  mediums  and  con- 
taining only  a small  amount  of  organic  matter ; it  is  under- 
lain by  yellowish  sand  of  medium  texture  intermixed  with 
some  fine  gravel.  The  sand  prevails  to  a depth  of  more 
than  3 feet.  This  soil  is  of  very  small  extent,  covering  less 
than  one-half  square  mile  of  land.  One  small  tract  occurs 
in  Decatur  township,  and  a few  other  small  tracts  are  scat- 
tered through  the  eastern  half  of  the  county,  mostly  east 
of  Sugar  River.  It  is  a soil  derived  from  glaciated  sand- 
stone material  which  has  been  affected  to  some  extent  by  a 
mixture  of  material  from  limestone  formations.  The  soil 
is  acid. 

The  surface  of  this  land  is  gently  rolling,  and  the  natural 
drainage  is  excessive,  owing  to  the  loose  open  character  of 
the  soil  material  and  to  the  surface  contour. 

This  soil  is  of  low  agricultural  value,  differing  from 
Plainfield  sand  only  in  the  surface  configuration.  The 
same  crops  are  grown,  and  the  soil  will  respond  to  the  treat- 
ment suggested  for  Plainfield  sand. 

Rodman  Gravelly  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Rodman  gravelly  loam  consists  of 
brown  gravelly  or  sandy  loam  8 or  10  inches  deep ; it  is  un- 
derlain by  brownish-yellow  sandy  or  gritty  loam  which 
gradually  becomes  yellowish  with  depth  and  is  yellowish 
brown  below  15  inches.  The  gravel  content  increases  with 
depth,  and  beds  of  stratified  sand  and  gravel  usually  occur 
about  2 feet  below  the  surface,  continuing  to  undetermined 
depths.  Some  gravel  appears  upon  the  surface,  and  glacial 
bowlders  are  not  uncommon. 

The  soil  is  of  very  small  extent  and  covers  a total  area  of 
less  than  one  square  mile.  It  is  rather  widely  distributed, 
however,  and  is  mapped  in  Decatur,  Albany,  and  Mount 


GROUP  OF  SANDY  S OILS 


69 


Pleasant  townships,  with  a few  other  small  tracts  in  the 
eastern  half  of  the  county.  It  occurs  in  small  patches  us- 
ually of  less  than  40  acres  and  frequently  on  knolls  only  a 
few  square  rods  in  extent.  It  is  developed  chiefly  on  kames 
and  eskers  whose  surfaces  are  bumpy  and  irregular,  and 
whose  slopes  are  usually  steep  and  seldom  cultivated. 
These  hillocks  occur  in  groups,  and  areas  of  the  Rodman 
soil  are  separated  by  patches  of  Miami  silt  loam.  Because 
of  the  rough  surface  and  the  gravelly  nature  of  the  subsoil, 
this  soil  is  well  drained,  and  where  the  soil  is  shallow,  the 
drainage  is  excessive. 

Some  of  the  areas  are  forested,  mostly  with  oak;  others 
are  used  for  pasture  land.  This  land  can  best  be  utilized 
for  pasture  since  most  of  it  is  too  steep  to  be  used  for  cul- 
tivated crops. 

Being  underlain  by  deposits  of  gravel,  this  soil  is  the 
source  of  supply  for  gravel  for  road  building.  Good  quality 
gravel  for  road  construction  enhances  the  value  of  this 
land. 


Fig-.  7.  A few  trees  are  needed  for  shade,  but  a good  woodlot  cannot 
be  maintained  if  cattle  are  allowed  to  roam  through  it  at  will,  destroy- 
ing seedlings. 


70 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


CHAPTER  VI 

GROUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 
Clyde  Silt  Loam 

Clyde  silt  loam  may  consist  of  a 12  or  14  inch  layer  of 
dark-brown  or  black  silt  loam,  very  high  in  organic  matter 
and  underlain  by  a subsoil  of  dark-gray  silt  loam  material 
mottled  with  drab  and  yellow.  At  a depth  of  about  24 
inches  the  material  is  mottled  brownish-yellow  or  drab  silty 
clay  loam  material  which  may  continue  to  a depth  of  3 or 
more  feet. 

This  soil  as  mapped  is  not  uniform.  In  many  places  the 
first  8 inch  layer  consists  of  peaty  material.  In  flood-plain 
areas  a layer  of  peaty  material,  from  1 to  10  inches  thick, 
may  occur  in  either  the  upper  or  lower  part  of  the  subsoil. 
Here  and  there  along  streams,  black  silt  loam  has  been  de- 
posited over  loam  and  fine  sandy  loam ; in  other,  places  the 
surface  material,  to  depths  ranging  from  1 to  10  inches,  is 
a light-brown  silt  loam,  underlain  by  black  silt  loam  or 
peaty  silt  loam  material  made  up  of  wash  from  adjoining 
high  land.  The  uniform  features  of  this  soil  are  poor 
drainage,  dark  color,  and  high  content  of  organic  matter. 
Much  of  the  parent  material  has  been  deposited  by  water 
or  has  been  modified  to  some  extent  by  water  action  since 
its  deposition  by  other  agencies.  The  Clyde  soils  are  con- 
fined to  the  region  influenced  by  glacial  ice.  Since  most  of 
the  material  came  originally  from  limestone,  the  soils  are 
not  usually  acid,  and  as  the  waters  draining  into  the  low- 
lands usually  carry  some  lime  from  the  higher  lands  ad- 
joining, the  soil  material  is  somewhat  calcareous. 

Clyde  silt  loam  is  developed  most  extensively  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  county  and  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  valley 
of  Sugar  River  and  its  tributaries.  The  largest  areas  are 
in  Brooklyn,  Exeter,  Albany,  Decatur,  Spring  Grove,  and 
Sylvester  townships. 


GROUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


71 


The  surface  of  this  soil  is  low-lying,  flat,  or  basinlike,  and 
the  natural  drainage  poor.  The  land  usually  has  a very 
slight  slope  toward  the  drainage  way  along  which  it  occurs. 

The  original  forest  growth  consisted  of  elm,  ash,  soft 
maple,  willow,  some  sycamore,  and  some  bur  oak.  Most  of 
the  merchantable  timber  has  been  cut,  but  in  a few  places 
where  the  land  has  not  been  drained,  timber  of  good  qual- 
ity is  still  standing. 

Some  of  this  soil  has  been  reclaimed  by  drainage,  but  the 
major  part  of  it  is  too  wet  for  the  successful  production  of 
cultivated  crops.  With  proper  drainage,  however,  this 
would  be  one  of  the  best  ^corn  soils  in  Wisconsin,  and  on 
drained  areas  corn  is  the  chief  crop,  although  hay  is  also 
extensively  grown.  Alsike  and  timothy  are  the  most  com- 
mon hay  grasses. 

This  soil  is  also  well  suited  to  sugar  beets  and  to  cabbage, 
but  these  crops  are  grown  but  little.  Small  grains  make  a 
rank  growth  but  are  likely  to  lodge,  and  the  quality  of  the 
grain  is  never  so  good  as  on  the  light  colored  heavy  upland 
soils. 

Clyde  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Clyde  loam  has  a depth  of  about  12 
inches  and  consists  of  black  or  nearly  black  loam  or  fine 
sandy  loam  which  contains  a high  percentage  of  organic 
matter  or  humus.  The  subsoil  is  variable  in  texture,  but  it 
is  usually  lighter  in  color  than  the  surface  soil.  In  many 
places  it  consists  of  drab  or  bluish  loam  or  fine  sandy  loam 
material  which  may  become  a silty  clay  loam  or  sticky 
sandy  clay  at  a depth  of  18  inches.  The  deep  subsoil  may 
contain  considerable  sand,  and  stratified  material  occurs 
in  many  places  below  a depth  of  2 feet. 

Clyde  loam  is  confined  largely  to  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county,  chiefly  to  the  valley  of  Sugar  River  in  Brooklyn,  Ex- 
eter, Albany,  and  Decatur  townships.  Other  small  areas 
are  in  some  of  the  adjoining  townships.  The  total  area  is 
only  1,216  acres. 

The  soil  is  low,  the  surface  is  level  or  slightly  depressed, 
and  the  natural  drainage  is  poor,  although  the  land  is  sel- 
dom flooded.  It  is  usually  on  low,  poorly  drained  terraces, 


72 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


although  in  a few  places  it  comprises  depressions  in  the  up- 
land. 

This  soil  is  of  little  agricultural  importance  because  of  its 
small  extent.  Most  of  it  is  undrained,  and  it  is  utilized 
chiefly  for  pasture.  When  thoroughly  drained,  it  will  make 
excellent  farm  land  well  suited  to  corn,  grass,  and  hay,  as 
well  as  to  truck  crops. 

Wabash  Silt  Loam 

The  surface  soil  of  Wabash  silt  loam  has  a depth  of  about 
14  inches  and  consists  of  black  or  dark-brown  silt  loam  con- 
taining a high  percentage  of  organic  matter.  It  is  under- 
lain by  brownish-drab  or  bluish  silt  loam,  or  silty  clay  loam 
material,  which  is  mottled  with  iron  stains  below  a depth  of 
18  inches.  This  material  prevails  to  a depth  of  more  than 
3 feet  and  usually  becomes  heavier  in  texture  with  depth. 
Variations  in  this  soil  are  common,  occurring  especially 
along  the  smaller  streams.  In  some  places  the  black  sur- 
face soil  continues  to  a depth  of  more  than  2 feet;  in  other 
places  the  surface  soil  is  light  brown,  and  the  black  silt  loam 
occurs  a few  inches  below  the  surface;  in  still  other  locali- 
ties there  is  a peaty  covering,  a few  inches  deep,  over  the 
silt  loam;  and  in  some  small  patches  both  soil  and  subsoil 
are  somewhat  sandy.  All  these  variations  mentioned  are 
of  such  small  extent  that  they  could  not  be  indicated  on  the 
soil  map.  The  soil  is  usually  slightly  acid. 

This  soil  is  developed  along  practically  all  streams  and 
comprises  the  most  extensive  first-bottom  land  in  the 
county.  The  largest  tracts  occur  along  Sugar  River  in 
Spring  Grove,  Decatur,  Albany,  Brooklyn,  and  Exeter  town- 
ships, and  also  along  the  smaller  tributary  streams,  such  as 
Jordan  Creek  and  Little  Sugar  River.  In  the  western  and 
southwestern  parts  of  the  county  it  occurs  along  Pecatonica 
River  and  its  tributaries. 

The  surface  of  the  land  is  level,  or  gently  sloping  toward 
the  stream;  it  is  subject  to  overflow  and  the  natural  drain- 
age is  poor.  Before  cultivated  crops  can  be  grown  success- 
fully, much  of  the  land  will  require  tiling. 

Wabash  silt  loam  is  of  alluvial  origin,  the  alluvium  hav- 
ing been  washed  from  the  adjoining  higher  land,  carried  by 


GROUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


73 


the  streams,  and  deposited  within  the  present  flood  plain. 
The  decay  of  rank  vegetation  developed  under  moist  condi- 
tions accounts  for  the  dark  color  and  the  high  organic  mat- 
ter content  of  the  soil.  In  some  of  the  narrow  valleys  it  is 
partly  colluvial  in  origin. 

The  original  forest  growth  consisted  of  willow,  sycamore, 
elm,  soft  maple,  and  ash.  Some  of  the  timber  is  still  stand- 
ing, but  the  best  has  been  cut. 

On  account  of  the  poor  drainage  and  the  danger  from 
overflow,  this  soil  is  not  used  extensively  for  farming.  It 
affords  good  pasturage,  however,  and  is  highly  prized  for 
this  purpose  where  dairying  is  carried  on  extensively.  In 
a few  places  where  the  soil  is  properly  drained,  crops  yield 
well,  corn  averaging  as  much  as  60  bushels  an  acre.  The 
chief  need  of  this  land  is  drainage,  and  with  the  construc- 
tion of  open  ditches  and  tile  drains,  it  should  become  one  of 
the  most  productive  soils  of  the  county. 

Wabash  Silt  Loam,  Better  Drained  Phase 

The  areas  of  Wabash  silt  loam  which  have  better  drain- 
age than  the  typical  soil  are  mapped  as  a better  drained 
phase.  Most  of  this  land  occurs  along  intermittent  streams 
where  there  is  less  danger  from  flooding,  and  where  much 
of  the  land  can  be  cultivated  without  tiling.  The  soil  is 
partly  colluvial  and  partly  alluvial,  and  in  some  places  ex- 
tends up  the  lower  slopes  for  a short  distance  so  that  the 
natural  drainage  is  fair.  The  soil  is  practically  the  same 
as  typical  Wabash  silt  loam,  but  the  black  surface  layer 
frequently  continues  to  a depth  of  2 or  3 feet  where  wash 
from  adjoining  dark-colored  upland  soils  has  accumulated. 
This  land  is  excellent,  and  parts  of  it  are  in  cultivated  crops 
each  year. 

Wabash  Loam 

The  topsoil  of  Wabash  loam  has  an  average  depth  of  14 
inches  and  consists  of  dark-brown  or  black  loam.  The  sub- 
soil usually  is  a drab  or  somewhat  bluish  loam  or  fine  sandy 
loam  material  mottled  with  yellow  in  the  lower  part.  The 
soil  is  extremely  variable  and  in  some  places  the  surface 
soil  has  a fine  sandy  loam  texture ; but  because  of  its  small 


74 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


extent  and  variability,  this  soil  was  mapped  with  the  loam. 
There  is  a thin  covering  of  peat  over  the  surface  in  places, 
and  fine  gravel  frequently  occurs  in  the  lower  subsoil. 

This  soil  is  developed  along  the  first  bottoms  of  streams, 
most  of  it  in  the  valley  of  Sugar  River  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  county.  It  is  of  much  smaller  extent  than  Wabash 
silt  loam  and  of  minor  importance. 

The  surface  of  this  land  is  low  and  flat,  or  it  has  only  a 
gentle  slope  toward  the  stream  along  which  it  occurs,  and 
the  natural  drainage  is  poor.  The  land  lies  within  present 
flood  plains  and  is  subject  to  overflow.  The  moist  condi- 
tions have  favored  a rank  growth  of  vegetation,  the  decay 
of  which  accounts  for  the  dark  color  of  the  soil.  The  origi- 
nal growth,  in  addition  to  grasses,  consisted  chiefly  of  elm, 
ash,  soft  maple,  and  willow. 

On  account  of  its  low  position,  poorly  drained  condition, 
and  the  danger  from  floods,  this  soil  is  used  only  for  pastur- 
age and  to  a small  extent  for  marsh  hay.  If  drained,  this 
soil  would  be  suited  to  the  same  crops  as  Wabash  silt  loam 
and  it  may  be  managed  in  the  same  way.  In  its  present 
condition  its  use  as  pasture  land  is  probably  the  most  prac- 
ticable. Draining  and  protecting  the  land  from  floods  are 
the  first  steps  necessary  in  improving  this  soil. 

Peat 

Peat,  as  mapped  in  Green  County,  consists  of  vegetable 
matter  in  various  stages  of  decomposition  mingled  with 
varying  proportions  of  mineral  matter.  It  consists  of 
black  or  dark  brown,  fibrous  or  finely  divided  vegetable 
matter,  mixed  with  a small  amount  of  fine  sand  and  silt. 
It  ranges  in  depth  from  1%  to  10  feet  but  averages  4 feet. 
Most  of  the  peat  is  fairly  well  decomposed  and  when  dry 
resembles  a black,  carbonaceous  clay.  In  areas  of  sandy 
soils,  peat  is  generally  underlain  by  sandy  material,  whereas 
in  regions  of  heavy  upland  soils  the  underlying  material  is 
clayey.  Most  of  the  peat  in  Green  County  is  underlain  by 
material  as  heavy  as,  or  heavier  than,  loam. 

Peat  is  widely  distributed  in  Green  County ; it  is  mapped 
in  nearly  every  township  and  occurs  in  every  tract  ranging 
from  a few  acres  to  one-half  square  mile  or  more  in 


GROUP  OF  POORLY  DRAINED  SOILS 


75 


extent.  In  many  cases  peat  occurs  in  long  narrow  strips  ' 
along  stream  channels;  in  fact  most  of  the  peat  is  found  in 
in  such  places ; and  only  a small  proportion  occurs  as  de- 
pressions in  the  upland  old  lake,  and  pond  beds  as  it  is  very 
scarce  in  this  old  glacial  region  of  the  pre-Wisconsin  drift. 

It  is  most  extensively  developed  in  the  valley  of  Sugar 
River  and  its  tributaries  in  Decatur,  Albany,  Brooklyn, 
Exeter,  and  New  Glarus  townships;  and  some  is  mapped 
along  Pecatonica  River  and  its  branches  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  county. 

The  surface  is  low,  level,  and  very  poorly  drained.  Dur- 
ing early  spring  some  of  the  marshes  are  entirely  covered 
with  water,  but  later  in  the  summer  many  areas  of  peat 
are  dry  and  firm  so  that  they  can  be  used  for  pasture,  or 
the  wild  grasses  cut  for  hay. 

Peat  has  been  formed  through  the  growth  and  partial 
decomposition  of  a rank  vegetation  in  the  presence  of  water. 
Around  the  margins  of  the  larger  marshes,  and  over  the 
greater  part  of  the  smaller  ones,  varying  quantities  of  min- 
eral soil  from  the  adjoining  higher  land  have  been  washed 
in  and  incorporated  with  the  vegetable  matter.  Although 
most  of  the  peat  occurs  within  the  region  where  the  upland 
soils  are  partly  made  up  of  limestone  material,  some  of  it, 
particularly  in  the  larger  marshes,  is  acid. 

The  native  growth  in  these  marshes  consists  of  several 
varieties  of  grasses  and  sedges,  arrowhead,  cattail,  various 
reeds  and  rushes,  and  sphagnum  moss.  Tamarack  grows 
in  a few  marshes. 

Only  a few  of  the  peat  beds  have  been  ditched  and  re- 
claimed but,  where  thoroughly  drained  and  properly  han- 
dled, they  produce  good  yields  of  corn,  mixed  timothy  and 
alsike  hay,  oats,  potatoes,  onions,  celery,  and  cabbage. 

Peat,  Shallow  Phase 

The  shallow  phase  of  peat  consists  of  black  or  dark-brown 
vegetable  matter  in  varying  stages  of  decomposition,  rang- 
ing in  depth  from  8 to  18  inches,  and  mixed  with  more  or 
less  sand,  silt,  or  clay. 

The  shallow  peat  is  much  less  extensive  than  the  other; 
it  occurs  chiefly  in  Albany,  Brooklyn,  and  Exeter  townships, 


76 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


in  association  with  the  deeper  peat  and  soils  of  the  Clyde 
series.  It  covers  a total  area  of  640  acres.  It  is  similar, 
in  topography,  drainage,  and  character  of  vegetation,  to 
typical  peat,  although  some  of  the  marshes  are  underlain 
with  clay,  clay  loam,  or  silt  loam  at  a depth  of  only  12  or  15 
inches. 


AGRICULTURAL  DEVELOPMENT  OF  GREEN  COUNTY  77 


CHAPTER  VII 

AGRICULTURAL  DEVELOPMENT  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 

History  of  Settlement,  Transportation,  and  Markets 

Early  settlement  in  Green  County  was  stimulated  by  min- 
eral deposits  which  were  thought  to  exist  in  this  region. 
The  first  settlement  is  reported  to  have  been  made  in  1828 
at  Sugar  River  Diggings,  located  near  Sugar  River  in  Exe- 
ter township.  Green  County  was  organized  in  1836,  at 
which  time  it  was  separated  from  Iowa  county.  The  first 
important  industry  to  receive  attention  was  the  mining  of 
lead  and  zinc,  but  larger  mines  were  located  in  adjoining 
counties,  and  the  mines  in  Green  County  were  soon  ex- 
hausted. Following  the  early  mining  activities,  agricul- 
ture was  given  more  attention,  and  the  region  early  became 
a thriving  agricultural  community. 

The  first  extensive  agricultural  development  in  Green 
County  was  made  by  a colony  of  Swiss  who  settled  at  New 
Glarus  and  developed  one  of  the  most  prosperous  agricul- 
tural communities  in  the  United  States. 

The  population  of  the  county  in  1920  was  21,568.  It  is 
well  distributed  over  the  entire  county.  Of  the  total  popu- 
lation, 3,187,  or  14.8  per  cent,  are  foreign-born  white  people. 
Monroe,  the  county  seat,  has  a population  of  4,788.  Other 
important  railway  and  shipping  points  within  the  county 
are  Browntown,  Martintown,  Monticello,  New  Glarus,  Belle- 
ville (partly  in  Dane  County),  Albany,  Brodhead,  and  Juda. 

The  county  is  fairly  well  supplied  with  railroads.  Most 
farms  are  within  10  miles  of  a shipping  point.  Dirt  roads 
are  for  the  most  part  good  when  they  are  kept  graded,  and 
several  State  Trunk  highways,  kept  in  excellent  condition, 
cross  the  county. 

In  the  earliest  settlement  of  Green  County,  wheat  was 
grown  exclusively  and  continuously  for  several  years  by 
the  Swiss  settlers  until  some  of  the  land  was  practically 
worn  out.  Not  until  then  did  they  turn  to  dairying  which 


78 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


has  since  become  the  principal  industry.  Dairying  is  car- 
ried on  in  all  parts  of  Green  County.  It  is  by  far  the  most 
important  enterprise  conducted  in  the  region  although  gen- 
eral farming  is  also  engaged  in  by  most  farmers. 

With  the  development  of  dairying  came  a more  diversi- 
fied system  of  cropping.  The  acreage  of  wheat  was  greatly 
reduced,  and  the  acreage  in  hay  and  corn  increased.  Small 
grains  are  grown  on  nearly  every  farm.  However,  on  the 
gently  rolling  prairie  lands  throughout  the  county  and  on 
the  smoother  lands  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  there 
is  a larger  acreage  of  corn,  oats,  and  barley  than  in  the 
western  part  where  the  slopes  are  steep  and  where  there 
is  more  danger  of  washing  in  cultivated  fields.  On  the 
other  hand,  more  land  is  in  pastures  in  the  steeper  parts  of 
the  county.  Adams  township  has  more  pasture  land  than 
Washington  township,  for  Adams  township  is  more  rolling 
and  has  much  more  steep  land  than  Washington  township. 
In  Spring  Grove  township  and  also  in  other  townships 
traversed  by  Sugar  River,  pasture  land  is  low  wet  land 
rather  than  steep  land. 

Tobacco  farming  is  a special  industry  followed  to  a small 
extent  in  this  county,  but  it  is  confined  almost  entirely  to 
sandy  soils  in  Decatur  and  Brooklyn  townships.  Potatoes 
are  also  grown  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  and  in 
other  areas  of  sandy  soils. 

Farm  Products  and  Agricultural  Statistics 

Of  the  farm  crops  grown  in  Green  County  the  cereals,  in- 
cluding corn,  lead  in  acreage  and  value.  The  total  value  of 
all  cereals  grown  in  the  area  in  1919,  as  given  by  the  census 
was  $3,861,645.  This  represented  approximately  half  of 
the  value  of  all  crops  in  that  year.  Hay  and  forage  crops 
had  a total  value  of  $3,699,932.  The  value  of  the  dairy 
products  produced  in  the  county  in  1919  amounted  to 
$5,585,782. 

The  following  table,  taken  from  the  census  reports,  gives 
the  acreage  and  production  of  the  leading  crops  for  five 
census  years.  This  table  shows  the  importance  of  the  va- 
rious crops  and  the  changes  in  acreages  of  the  different 
crops  during  the  last  forty  years. 


AGRICULTURAL  DEVELOPMENT  OF  GREEN  COUNTY  79 


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SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Agricultural  Data 

In  1928,  there  were  in  Green  County  63,900  cattle.  Of 
this  number  there  were  46,200  producing  cows.  The  aver- 
age production  per  cow  in  1927  was  5,800  pounds  of  milk. 
By  far  the  greater  proportion  of  the  dairy  products  are  sold 
in  the  form  of  cheese.  In  1925  there  were  15,912,320 
pounds  of  cheese  produced  in  Green  County.  Of  this  more 
than  7,000,000  pounds  were  Swiss  cheese,  4,251,680  pounds 
were  Limburger,  more  than  3,000,000  pounds  were  brick 
cheese,  and  more  than  1,000,000  pounds  were  American 
cheese.  There  were,  in  1926,  143  cheese  factories  and  6 
creameries,  and  24  receiving  stations  in  the  county. 

Butter  produced  in  creameries  amounted  to  167,977 
pounds. 

There  were  in  the  county  in  1927  a total  of  2,116  silos.  A 
number  of  farms  have  two  silos. 

In  connection  with  the  dairy  industry  the  growing  of  al- 
falfa is  receiving  considerable  attention.  In  1927,  there 
were  13,600  acres  devoted  to  this  crop.  In  1927,  there  were 
63,970  acres  devoted  to  corn,  and  of  this  acreage  33,910 
acres  were  for  the  silo.  That  same  year  oats  had  an  acre- 
age of  42,540  acres,  and  barley  was  grown  on  13,590  acres. 
All  tame  hay  covered  an  acreage  of  62,271  acres,  while  of 
this  acreage  clover  and  timothy  covered  46,760  acres.  Spe- 
cial crops  are  not  grown  to  any  extent.  There  were  in  1927 
about  110  acres  of  tobacco  and  20  acres  of  canning  peas. 

Adaptation  of  Crops  to  Soils 

Farmers  in  general  recognize  that  certain  crops  are  best 
adapted  to  certain  soils.  In  this  county  the  light  colored 
heavy  upland  soils  are  well  adapted  to  the  production  of 
small  grains  as  well  as  to  grasses.  A better  quality  of 
grain  is  produced  here  than  on  the  black  soils,  and  danger 
from  lodging  is  not  so  great.  The  black  prairie  land,  hav- 
ing an  undulating  or  gently  rolling  surface,  and  the  drained, 
heavy,  black  lowland  soils  are  well  suited  to  corn.  Rye  is 
grown  most  extensively  on  soils  of  light  texture,  and  in 
Green  County  tobacco  also  is  usually  grown  on  light  soils, 
chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  Brodhead.  Tame  hay  is  grown  on 


AGRICULTURAL  DEVELOPMENT  OF  GREEN  COUNTY  81 


all  kinds  of  soils,  but  it  makes  its  best  growth  on  the  heavy 
soils.  Clover  and  alfalfa  do  best  where  the  supply  of  lime 
in  the  soil  is  greatest. 

Although  soils  influence  considerably  the  crops  which  can 
be  grown  to  best  advantage,  topography  is  a very  important 
factor  in  the  selection  of  crops  to  be  grown  and  the  farming 
methods  followed. 

The  largest  acreage  of  corn  is  grown  in  Spring  Grove 
township  where  there  is  much  reclaimed  lowland  and  also 
extensive  tracts  of  heavy  upland  where  the  surface  is 
gently  rolling  and  not  too  steep  for  the  cultivation  of  corn. 
There  is  also  considerable  gently  rolling  prairie  land  in  this 
township.  Decatur  township  was  second  in  acreage  of 
corn.  This  township  contains  part  of  Jordan  Prairie  which 
is  excellent  cornland,  and  very  little  of  the  township  is 
rough  and  steep.  Clarno  township,  producing  4,755  acres 
of  corn,  occupies  high,  rolling  land,  much  of  which  is  prai- 
rie. On  the  other  hand,  in  New  Glarus  township  where 
there  is  much  steep  land,  only  2,571  acres  of  corn  were 
grown,  the  least  in  any  township  of  the  county  and  less 
than  half  the  acreage  grown  in  Spring  Grove  township. 
These  differences  are  due  chiefly  to  the  marked  differences 
in  topography. 

The  effect  of  topographic  difference  is  particularly  evi- 
dent on  pasture  land,  especially  the  pasture  land  which  is 
not  plowed,  as  this  includes  most  of  the  steepest  land  in 
the  county. 

Farm  Equipment 

Farm  buildings  and  equipment  in  Green  County  are  in 
general  of  very  high  grade  and  reflect  the  prosperity  of  the 
farmers.  Barns  are  large,  well  constructed,  and  designed 
to  provide  roomy,  comfortable  quarters  for  dairy  cattle.  In 
1927,  there  were  2,116  silos  in  the  county  on  a total  of  2,330 
farms. 

Tractors  are  coming  into  common  use,  and,  although  they 
are  not  used  so  generally  as  in  more  level  regions,  there  is 
a total  of  354  tractors  in  the  county.  Tractors  are  least 
used  in  sandy  and  extremely  rough  parts  of  the  county; 
they  are  most  common  in  Spring  Grove  township  where 
there  is  considerable  fairly  smooth  prairie  land. 


82 


SOIL  SURVEY  OF  GREEN  COUNTY 


Farmhouses  are  well  built,  especially  where  the  dairy  in- 
dustry is  most  highly  developed.  They  are  kept  in  good 
repair,  and  many  are  supplied  with  such  modern  conveni- 
ences as  electric  lights,  modern  heating  plants,  and  run- 
ning water.  Practically  all  farms  have  rural  mail  service, 
telephone  service,  and  most  of  the  farmers  own  automo- 
biles. 

Farm  Tenure  and  Labor 

According  to  the  1920  census,  1,694,  or  72.7  per  cent,  of 
the  2,330  farms  in  Green  County  were  operated  by  the  own- 
ers ; 601  farms,  or  25.8  per  cent,  were  operated  by  tenants ; 
and  35  farms  by  managers.  Of  the  601  tenant  farmers, 
413  were  share  tenants,  180  were  cash  tenants,  and  8 were 
classed  as  share-cash  tenants.  Farms  comprise  90.8  per 
cent  of  the  land  area  of  the  county,  and  78.6  per  cent  of  this 
farm  land  is  improved. 

Land  Values 

The  value  of  farm  lands  in  Wisconsin  was  not  inflated  so 
greatly  during  the  war  period  as  it  was  in  some  other  parts 
of  the  Middle  West,  and  as  a result  the  decline  in  land  val- 
ues has  been  moderate. 

The  census  of  1920  reported  that  the  average  value  of 
land  and  buildings  to  the  farm  in  Green  County  was  $23,784. 
Thus,  the  average  farm  of  148  acres  had  a value  of  about 
$160  an  acre.  The  average  value  of  the  land  alone  is  given 
as  $127.91  an  acre. 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

APR  2 6 1932 

Diversity  of  Illinois, 


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